One Line Ends, One Line Begins
by Smokinghotvampires
Summary: Damon and Elena finally end up together and find themselves at the center of a new plan to stop Klaus and the Original family.
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Diary,_

_The last few years my life have read like some crazy melodrama between supernatural beings, crazy curses, diabolical plans, twisted romances, and more death than any one person should have to witness. So the events of the last few months shouldn't even phase me. Yet I find myself wondering how I ended up where I am. By all rights, I should be a vampire right now. The night Evil Alaric killed Klaus, (in actuality Klaus had jumped into Tyler's body), Matt's truck went over the Wickery Bridge, trapping both of us inside. Stefan was able to save Matt at my insistence, but I drowned with vampire blood in my system. Unbeknownst to anyone including myself, Meredith had given me Damon's blood to heal the intracranial bleed I suffered at Klaus' hands._

_When the paramedics pulled my body out of the water, I was by all accounts clinically dead. Had I not actually died,Evil Alaric would still be alive hunting everyone I love to extinction. Somehow I was resuscitated and brought back to life. No one could understand how I managed to avoid transitioning when I died. All we could come up with was that I hadn't been dead long enough for my soul to leave my body. Either that or someone had other plans for me._

_When I woke up in the hospital, I had these strange dreams about Damon. It was only later that I realized they were compulsions, not dreams. Apparently my brush with death released me from Damon's compulsions. As if my feelings hadn't been torn enough before, this put things in a whole new light. You see Damon had compelled me to forget the first time we met. I'd always thought we'd met at the boarding house, but in truth, I'd met him at the bon fire the night my parents died. He was so different than the Damon I'd met later, the Damon Stefan warned me about. Damon was...sweet and warm, and God was I drawn to him. He didn't want anyone to know about his plans to get Katherine back, so he compelled me to forget our meeting. What he didn't realize at the time was that he'd altered our future. God, I was so mad at him for that. But my anger was short lived when I remember his other compulsion_.

_It was the first time he told me he loved me. He was so vulnerable unlike I'd ever seen him. This person, who always seemed so uncaring and arrogant, actually had his humanity all along. He'd just been so emotionally scarred that he hid it. He believed he didn't deserve to be loved. All the times I rejected him only reaffirmed what he'd already thought. It breaks my heart when I think about how much I've hurt him especially after all he's done for me. How could I have told him I chose Stefan AGAIN, when he was possibly about to die? These things weighed on my mind, as I tried to go back to Stefan. Sticking to my choice became that much harder._

_Damon and I had grown so close while Stefan was gone. I tried so hard to deny my feelings for him. I even tried pushing him away. Everyone including Stefan could see how I felt. But what kind of person was I to fall for my boyfriend's brother, when the only reason Stefan left was to save his brother's life? Still, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't let Damon go. In fact, I'd given in to my feelings at the hotel in Denver. If Jeremy hadn't interrupted us, I would've let him take me that night. My heart was truly torn between what I had with Stefan, and I what I could have with Damon. I knew I couldn't go on hurting them any longer. A decision had to be made._

_In a way, Rick's death made the decision for me. I couldn't bear to lose anyone else that I cared about, so I chose the safest love. I loved Stefan first, and I owed it to him to try again, after all he'd gone through to get his humanity back. My love for Damon is so intense and volatile that the control it has over me sometimes is frightening. What if something went wrong between us? I could lose him completely. He had become such an important part of my life that I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't there. It had been painful enough when we'd been briefly estranged after the Mikaelson's ball. So as painful as it was, I had to let Damon go romantically, so I wouldn't completely_ _lose him. Twisted reasoning I know. It was a decision I regretted from the moment I uttered those words._

_I realized the mistake the first time Stefan kissed me again. It felt...flat. I'd always thought we had this passionate relationship, until I had kissed Damon. Stefan's kiss was sweet, but when I kissed Damon, every nerve ending in my body was on fire. I felt like I couldn't breathe without him. I tried to put it out of my mind for Stefan's sake, but the memories kept creeping back in. The memories were so strong and vivid that I couldn't bring myself to re-establish my physical relationship with Stefan. All I could think of was how incredibly soft Damon's lips were to kiss, the touch of his hands as they roamed my body, and the feel of his pelvis pressed hard into mine. Just being near him gave me Goosebumps_.

_In no time, I found myself making other comparisons. Stefan didn't challenge my decisions the way Damon did. He always let me have my way like he was afraid to disagree. Sure it made for a smooth relationship, but there was no excitement. I found myself intentionally starting fights with him, but he always caved to what I wanted. He was all about respecting my choices, even if they were wrong. I thought that's what I wanted. But Damon wasn't afraid to tell me when I was behaving like an idiot. It makes me laugh at how I've come to appreciate his brutal honesty. Maybe I've matured, IDK._

_I began thinking about all the times I had to fight to get Stefan to stay. He couldn't accept himself and thought I'd be better off without him. No matter how many times I rejected Damon, he never left me. He always chose me. Eventually my list became too big, and I had to be honest with Stefan. The truth was I missed Damon. I hadn't seen him much since I tried to get back with Stefan. The thought of him moving on with someone else was killing me. That's when I knew for sure I needed to make things right. What I was doing wasn't fair to anyone._

_I told Stefan that I do love him, but too much has changed for us to go back to the way things were. I will always love him, but I'm not IN love with him. I told him how I never meant to hurt him. He was deeply saddened but not surprised. He'd felt our lack of connection too. He knew all along that my feelings for Damon were deeper than I'd let on. But he allowed himself to deny it, hoping we could regain what we'd lost. Stefan decided it would be best for him to leave town. It would be too difficult for him to see us together. He needed some time to heal, and Damon and I needed a chance to be together without feeling guilty whenever we saw him. I didn't want Stefan to go, but I understood why he had to. Truthfully, as much as I would miss him, I knew we'd both survive without each other. We'd already proven that. I couldn't say the same about Damon._

_Damon didn't believe me at_ _first when I told him how I felt. I can't say that I blame him, after as many times that I'd told him it would always be Stefan. I cringe whenever I think about that. It was like Katherine all over again for him. I told him that I'd been lying to him and Stefan, but mostly to myself, about how I felt. I explained all the fears that I mentioned above. I said his unwavering love engulfed me. And it frightened me to think I could love someone to the point of losing myself in them. I said I finally realized that what I'd been so afraid of was the very thing I couldn't live without. I cried a lot. I told him I'd fallen in love with all of him, the good and the bad. It was hard for him to believe because he'd never been chosen for anything. He was guarded, but I told him to just give me a chance to prove it. I think it finally became real to him when Stefan said he was leaving so we could be together._

_Our first night together was...OMG! I've never felt passion like that before. Every inch of my body was in sync with his. And we moved with each other like we'd always been together. It was so intense that I felt like, I felt like, it was my first time ever. We had so much sexual tension_ _built up that it's amazing no one got hurt. LOL. Damon has had God knows how many women in his long vampire life, but I could see in his eyes how much this meant to him. I guess after so many years of meaningless sex, being inside the woman you love is emotionally overwhelming, especially when that woman actually loves you in return. Afterwards, we just lay together naked, face to face, caressing each other's hand and smiling. Damon's guard was completely down for once. I loved seeing that side of him, the side he would never let anyone else see. I imagine that's what he was like when he was human. I wish I'd known him then._

_It's been a little over 3 months now that we've been together. Sometimes I'm still_ _not sure he entirely believes that I love him. It's like he keeps waiting for me to take it all back and return to Stefan. I guess after 170 years of being told you're not worthy of who you want, or anything for that matter, it's hard to accept being happy. So I have my work cut out for me. But I'm determined to prove it to him. After all he's done for me, he deserves that much. Actually he deserves more._

_I can say one thing for sure there is never a dull moment with Damon. In between all the supernatural drama that is always surrounding us, we manage to have fun. It's a mixture of his smart-assed sense of humor and our flirtatious banter that brings a smile to my face, even when I think it isn't possible. We still butt heads and drive each other nuts, but somehow, we always seem to make it through. And it makes the sex that much hotter, if that's even possible. I really do love him more than I thought possible. It's ironic really. Damon was with Katherine first. She toyed with his heart, even though she knew she actually loved Stefan more. I dated Stefan first, but ended up loving Damon more. I guess that's what they call karmic justice. It was meant to be Damon all along. I just didn't know it until now._


	2. Chapter 2

Elena's alarm clock went off for the fourth time. _Ugh! Do I really have to get up already?_ Over the last few weeks, she felt more and more run down than usual. She brushed it off as part of the daily stress of living in a town with supernatural threats, compounded by all the recent changes in her life.

As she crawled out of bed, she thought to herself wistfully, _Now why would I possibly be drained? Let's see, I lost both my parents in a tragic car accident, where I almost died. I found out I'm a doppleganger of a 500 year old vampire, who was in love with my now ex-boyfriend. My aunt was sacrificed in a ritual, to break a curse, that wasn't even real. It turns out that my uncle was really my father, and my real mother was a vampire, both of whom ended up dying as well. My last parental figure recently turned into a vampire-vampire hunter, and then died, leaving me and Jeremy all alone. I've technically died and came back twice. I've been used as a human blood bag. And my blood has been required for more spells and rituals than I care to recall. Klaus and his Original family have tormented me relentlessly. Everyone is always sacrificing themselves to save my life. My friends consist of a witch, a vampire, a hybrid, and one human, plus my brother, who died and now sees dead people. My vampire boyfriend left me to save his brother's life, losing his humanity in the process. His vampire brother and I spent all summer trying to get him back, only for me to realize I'd fallen in love with said brother too. Deciding between them was heart wrenching. In the end, my ex-boyfriend left so I can be with his brother. Oh and somewhere in there, I managed to graduate high school and start college. Wow, my life is messed up. _

When she thought about it that way, it's no wonder she felt run down. There is only so much emotional drama a person can take before it affects them physically. It wasn't until she lost her appetite that she started to get concerned. Food just didn't appeal to her anymore. In fact, the mere thought of it turned her stomach. She hadn't mentioned it to Damon because he was so overly protective. And she didn't want him to worry. _It's just stress, _she told herself. Elena continued getting ready to meet Meredith at the Grille for lunch. Perhaps she could offer her some medical advice, while they got caught up. It was nice to have a doctor friend, who knew the truth about her life.

When Elena walked into the Grille, she saw Damon sitting at the bar, having a drink. She took a seat on the bar stool next to him. "Hey, I thought you said you had a council meeting today?"

Damon turned to answer her. "I do, but Liz wanted to meet first to go over how we're going to handle our little problem with the council. Ever since Ric outed us, it's been hard to regain control. It's not exactly easy to compel them all, so we're going to have to get creative." He took a swig of his drink. Curious, he said, "What are you doing here? I thought you had class."

"I skipped it."

Damon playfully teased her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You _baaad_ girl."

With mock defensiveness, she justified her actions. "It's not bad. I just decided to have lunch with Meredith instead."

It amused him how much his stare affected her. He loved getting her riled up. Raising his hands in surrender he said, "Hey, I'm not judging. I like it when you're bad. In fact, I like it when you're _very_ bad."

Suddenly, she noticed her stool was much closer to him than before. He brushed her hair behind her ear, giving her Goosebumps. With that seductive smile, he whispered in her ear, "You know, we could just ditch our plans here and go be bad together."

A lustful smile came across her face. She placed her hand high on his thigh, dangerously close to his package. Leaning in mere inches from his lips, she said, "Too late. Our dates are here." As she got up, she slid her hand off of his thigh and whispered in his ear. "Guess you'll have to wait until later."

The warmth of her breath, as she place a small kiss near his ear, guaranteed he wasn't getting off of that bar stool anytime soon. At least not without embarrassing himself. As she walked away, he groaned, "Now that's just mean." That made her giggle, as she walked over to meet Meredith.

Elena made sure she chose a table far away from the bar. She knew Damon could hear their conversation even from this distance, so she kept things light. Meredith was happy to see her. "So Elena, this was a nice surprise. We haven't had much contact since Ric died."

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just been so hard getting adjusted to all the changes in my life. I mean losing Ric was really hard on Jeremy and I. We're still trying to adjust to him being gone. I'm sure you probably heard Stefan left town. Things didn't exactly work out between us. Then there was graduation. Oh, on a positive note I started college. It's been so crazy. I've been going non-stop."

Meredith looked at her, waiting for some mention of her new relationship with Damon. "So how are things going with Damon?"

Elena gave her a sheepish smirk and said, "Things are going surprisingly well. I don't know, I just feel like everything fits. I didn't mention it because he isn't exactly on people's list of favorites. Jeremy was like _whatever_. Caroline was of course pissed because she was always pro-Stefan. Bonnie, well she never liked Damon because of the things he's done. It doesn't help that he turned her mom to save my life. The truth is though, they just don't really know him. He doesn't let people see the good in him because he doesn't want to worry about being a disappointment later. But his feelings and loyalty really do run deep."

Meredith nodded her agreement, as she took a sip from her drink. "Elena, I'm a doctor and I've seen all sorts of people, who repress their feelings. Damon is just one of those complex people. If there wasn't more to him than what he shows on the surface then Ric wouldn't have been his friend. And you wouldn't have fallen in love with him."

"Thanks Meredith. I needed that. I mean I know it's crazy, but I love him. And whether my friends approve or not, we're right for each other. We've grown so close through all that's happened that I don't know what I would do without him."

Meredith was glad to see Elena look so happy. She reassured her. "I think you're good for each other. Someone has to keep him in check." Elena smiled at her.

The waiter came over and Meredith ordered her food. When the waiter turned to take Elena's order, she said, "I'll just have some tea. Thanks."

Meredith looked at her, puzzled. "I thought we were having lunch. You aren't going to order anything to eat?"

Elena looked over at the bar and noticed Damon had left. "I'm not very hungry. Actually, that's one of the reasons I asked you to lunch. I haven't been feeling very well. I think I might have a virus or something."

"What's going on? What are your symptoms?"

Elena paused, "I don't know. I've just been feeling really run down. All I want to do is sleep, but when I try, I'm restless. I've been irritable too. I guess because I haven't been sleeping. I seemed to be flushed all the time too."

"How long has this been going on?"

Elena thought for a moment and sighed, "A few weeks, maybe 3 or 4?"

"Three or four weeks? You probably should've come to see me sooner."

"I wasn't really too concerned until now. I mean I thought it was just stress or something. But then I started feeling sick whenever I ate, and now just the smell of food makes me queesey. I feel like I'm getting worse instead of better."

Meredith teased, "Maybe you have Mono. You know Damon has '_kissed'_ a lot of women, either that, or you're pregnant." They both laughed at how ridiculous that was.

Elena leaned in to whisper, "Well, we both know _that's_ not possible."

"I'll tell you what. After we finish here, we'll go to the clinic, and I'll run some tests."

Relieved, Elena said, "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem."


	3. Chapter 3

Meredith completed her exam, and ran some blood work, while Elena waited in the examination room. Meredith came in with Elena's file in hand. She took a deep breath then let it out, before she gave Elena the news. Hesitating, she said, "I have your results here."

Elena gave her a worried look. "You look concerned. What did you find?"

Meredith searched for the right words to tell her that the impossible had happened. There was no other way than to just spit it out. "I ran some tests, but the one that came back positive wasn't the one I expected." Elena looked at her pleadingly. Meredith said, "You're pregnant."

Elena's jaw dropped open. She managed to get out, "_Whhaaat?!_ But that's impossible."

"I know. That's why I repeated it 3 times. They all said the same thing."

Elena was flabbergasted. "I don't understand how this could happen."

Meredith tried to calm her. "Sometimes the tests give a false positive, even if you aren't pregnant. Your hormones could just be off tricking your body into thinking it's pregnant. I'd like to do an ultrasound to see what's going on."

Elena nodded her head in agreement. "Of course. Please."

She laid back on the exam table, while Meredith prepped her stomach for the test. The ultrasound machine ran back and forth over her lower abdomen. A small blob appeared in the center of her uterus, exactly where a fetus would be. They heard a rapid rythmic '_thud thud, thud thud, thud thud_', the sound of a... _heartbeat_? Pointing at the image on the screen, Meredith slowly looked back at Elena, "That's your baby right there. I'd say you're about 9 weeks or so."

Elena frantically thought, _Nine weeks_? It had been just 3 months since she first slept with Damon. She hadn't been with anyone in between. Her breath escaped her from the shock. "Oh my God!" Meredith stopped the scan to help Elena sit up, a look of total disbelief on her face. She studdered, "I...I...don't understand how. Vampires aren't supposed to reproduce."

Meredith tried to be supportive. "It looks like they can after all. Are you going to be ok?" Still stunned Elena slowly looked at Meredith, first shaking her head yes, then slowly no. "Do you want me to call Damon to come and get you?"

"No, no! I'm ok. I...just...need a minute to collect myself."

Meredith tore the picture of the ultrasound image off of the machine and handed it to Elena. "I think you're going to need this when you tell Damon." Elena swallowed hard looking at the picture in her hand, her mouth still agape.

Stunned, Elena drove around for a while, trying to let things sink in. No matter how many times she looked at the ultrasound picture, she still couldn't believe she was actually pregnant. "How is this possible?" she said out loud. After a few hours, she found herself in the driveway of the boarding house. She needed to tell Damon the news. She wasn't sure how when she could hardly believe it herself.

Sitting in the study, with a glass of bourbon nearby, he was combing over some documents he'd received from Liz about the council's plans. He heard her come in before she even entered the room. "How was playing hookey with Meredith?"

She walked in slowly almost in a daze. "It was..._interesting _to say the least!"

Without deviating from the document he was reviewing, he asked, "Yeah, why's that?"

Elena sat down next to him, staring blankly at him. She couldn't quite choke out the words. All she could get out was "um...ah."

Damon noticed her hesitation. "Ok, let me guess. You told her about us. She said I was too dangerous. You defended me. She suggested doing a psychiatric evaluation on you."

It was now or never. Elena blurted out, "I'm..._pregnant_."

He gave her a _very funny _look. Without skipping a beat, he replied, "Ha ha. Words never uttered by a vampire's girlfriend. So what did she really have to say?" Damon returned to the documents in front of him.

"This isn't a joke! Look, I hadn't been feeling very well, so I had her run some tests. I don't know why, but she included a pregnancy test. And it came back positive."

He looked back up and scoffed, "So. Those tests are notoriously wrong."

She felt her emotions overwhelming her. "Then explain this?" She pulled the ultrasound photo out of her pocket and handed it to him.

He gave it a quick glance before handing it back to her. Looking at her like she was crazy, he said, "All I see is a blob. The machine is probably screwed up."

Frustrated with his denial, she put her fingers to her temples, trying to sooth the headache this conversation was giving her. "It's NOT the machine."

Now Damon was getting frustrated. _She is delusional._ He sighed heavily, trying to calmly remind Elena of the facts. "Elena, you know that's not possible. I'm a vampire remember? Vampire equals dead. The dead can't reproduce."

"Well something has changed then because I heard the heartbeat."

A look of complete confusion spread across his face. _Heartbe...? _He grabbed the ultrasound photo from her and studied it again. A puzzled look remained on his face. He shook his head in disbelief as he mumbled. "That's what that was."

Elena watched his expression turn from confusion to stunned disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

He looked at her, still trying to fathom what he'd heard. "A few weeks ago, I started hearing this faint _sound_ whenever I was near you. Like your heart had an echo."

"Oh my God Damon. You can hear the heartbeat?" He slowly knodded then grabbed his drink and slammed it down. He got up and paced a few times, trying to think, before going over to the bar to pour another drink. "This can't be happening. No vampire has ever reproduced."

She turned around on the couch to watch him. "Are you sure? Maybe in Katherine's time, before you turned?"

He shook his head, trying to make sense of it. "In 146 years, there hasn't even been a rumor of it." He slammed another drink.

She thought carefully for a moment. "The doppleganger is suppose to be a supernatural occurrence. What if that allows me to get pregnant by another supernatural being?"

"Then you would've gotten pregnant before now." She cringed at the reminder that she'd been with his brother first. He saw her reaction. "I didn't mean anything by that Elena. I just meant it doesn't fit. A spell maybe?"

She stood up and walked over to him. "Why would anyone put a pregnancy spell on me?"

"Well, Klaus is obsessed with creating these hybrids. Maybe he wanted to ensure the Petrova bloodline continues. If he puts a spell on you to conceive, he guarantees future dopplegangers. Then his hybrid army is always replenished."

"But it doesn't make sense. I mean I'm only 19. It isn't like time is running out. Besides, he still has my blood for his hybrids, so why use a spell?"

"Maybe he's worried, that if you keep getting involved with vampires, the line will die out."

_His theory was definitely plausible_, she thought. She found herself getting emotional again at the thought. She began rambling. "I don't understand any of this. What are we supposed to do? How do we even know if it will be ok?" He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest. She began to cry. "Damon I'm scared."

As he stroked her hair to calm her. He had no idea what to say. All that came out was, "I know." The truth was, he was scared too. Since he died, he had long ago accepted the things he would never have. The idea of a being a father was so foreign to him. He would like to have been happy, but all he could feel was a deep sense of worry. He was terrified about what might happen to her.

She pulled away to look at him. "Aren't you even a little worried?"

He gently caressed her face. "Of course I am."

Elena's mind was racing along with her heart. "We need to find out how this happened."

Damon looked at her, "How do you suppose we do that?"

"Maybe you could ask Katherine if she's ever heard of something like this before."

"I would if I knew where she was."

Elena considered, "Then we should see if Bonnie can find out something. Maybe she could ask the witches if a spell has been cast."

He snorted, "Yeah because they just _love_ helping me."

She smiled tightly. "Well, they've helped us before. It can't hurt to try."

He nodded, "Fine. But until we know more, we should be careful who we mention this to." Elena nodded. She closed her eyes and melted back into his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

Once Elena regained her composure, she placed a call to Bonnie. Seeing Elena's name on the caller ID, Bonnie answered. Casually, she said, "Hey Elena. What's up?" Immediately, Bonnie could hear the strain in Elena's voice.

"Bonnie, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

"Sure. What?"

"It's rather..._delicate,_ so I'd need you to keep it quiet."

Bonnie knew where this was going before Elena said another word. "Um, ok. But I'm at the Grille with Jeremy right now."

"Ah, you can't talk."

"Exactly. Where are you?"

"I'm at Damon's."

"I can come by in say an hour?"

Relief washed over Elena that she wouldn't have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Bonnie replied, "I'll see you soon. Bye."

Elena hung up the phone with an odd feeling. She thought it was strange how quickly Bonnie agreed to meet her without knowing what it was about. "She said she'd come by in about an hour."

"Good." Damon brushed her hair behind her ear and looked in her eyes. "You going to be ok?"

She exhaled, shaking her head unsure. "I have no idea." Trying to gauge his true feelings, she asked, "Are _you _going to be ok?"

He tried his usual deflection instead of answering her. "I'm not the one who is pregnant."

She half smiled, knowing what he was trying to do. "Well, I certainly hope not. One surprise is enough." He laughed. "But you _are_ the father. How are you doing with that?"

Damon inhaled before answering. He puffed his cheeks as he let his breath out. He repeated her words, "I have no idea." She understood. It was quite the shock for both of them. He said, "I guess we have some time to figure it out though."

A little over an hour after their phone call, Bonnie arrived at the boarding house as promised. Elena was both nervous and happy to see her. "Bonnie thanks for coming by on such short notice."

Bonnie followed Elena nervoulsy into the study, where Damon was waiting. "Sure, no problem."

Elena looked at Damon and swallowed hard before she spoke. "I don't know exactly how to say this but..."

Bonnie cut her off, "Elena I can explain."

Confused, Elena said, "Explain? You don't even know what I was going to say."

"Yes, I do. I know you're pregnant."

Still baffled, Elena asked, "Wait. How do you know that?"

Bonnie, hesitated, "Because I'm the one who placed the spell."

Damon was pissed. "You _what_?"

Shocked, Elena asked, "Bonnie, how could you do that to me, to _us_?"

"The spell isn't on you Elena. It's on Damon."

Now he was beyond pissed. "_Me_!" Through gritted teeth, Damon seethed out, "What the Hell did you do?"

"It's a fertility spell."

Elena asked, "Why on Earth would you do that spell?"

Bonnie put her palms facing towards them in a plea for understanding. "I was trying to stop Klaus from creating more hybrids."

Damon thought her idea was insane. "All you did was ensure his future supply."

Bonnie was quick to respond. "Not if a son is born to the doppleganger."

Elena was completely lost now. "What do you mean if a son is born?"

"The Petrova bloodline has continued on because each generation gives birth to a girl. If a male is born to the doppleganger, the bloodline is broken. We needed Damon's bloodline for that."

"Wait. Why Damon's bloodline?"

Recognition settled over Damon's face. He put his hand over his mouth then slid it down. He answered, "Because all the Salvatores have been male."

Elena looked at him surprised. "What?"

"The only women in our family were by marriage, not blood."

Now Elena was beginning to understand the plan. "So if your bloodline is used..."

Looking at her with a serious expression, Damon finished her sentence. "You're sure to have a boy. What I don't understand is why now? Why not Stefan? He has the same bloodline. Why even pick a vampire at all?"

Bonnie tried to explain. "The witches specifically wanted you. That's why they waited to guide me to the grimmoires containing the spell. The spell was divided between 3 separate grimmoires, to prevent it from being discovered, until the time was right."

Damon couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "_Me_? Why me? And don't tell me it's because I'm they're favorite."

"They didn't want Stefan. His bloodlust issues and guilt made him too unstable."

Damon scoffed. "Yeah like I'm so stable."

Bonnie ignored his sarcasm and continued, "A human would be too weak. They chose you because your love for Elena is unconditional. Even if she stopped loving you, you would never abandon her. And you've proven over and over that you would do absolutely anything to protect her, even die for her. With you as the baby's father, he has the best chance of survival."

The weight of her words settled on him, as he looked seriously at Elena. They both knew what she was saying was true. But he never took compliments well. _The witches always hate me. Why now would they choose me for something so important?_ Still not happy with the answer, Damon said, "You could've warned us first."

"If I had, you wouldn't have gone through with it."

"You're right, we wouldn't have! You put Elena's life in danger for something we don't even know will work. You know the minute Klaus finds out, he'll try to kill her."

Bonnie countered. She knew before she even placed the spell that Damon would not be happy about it. "That's why you're here to protect her."

Damon was livid. He scoffed at her. "And how am I supposed to do that? He's not stupid. He'll figure it out when she starts to gain weight."

Elena tried to buffer Damon's anger. "Bonnie, what happens to the baby after he's born?"

Bonnie shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. Once he's born the line is broken. Your blood will become useless to him."

Elena exclaimed, "How can you say that it doesn't matter? How do we know he'll be safe? How do we even know he'll be normal? I can't have a baby knowing he could die the minute he's born."

Bonnie looked at her with complete understanding. "Oh Elena, I didn't mean anything by that. The baby will be 100% human. The fertility spell was used to make Damon's genes human again. Once he is born, he can live a normal life."

Exasperated at her flippancy, Damon said, "How when he'll have a target on his back?"

Bonnie shook her head. Looking at Elena, she explained, "The spell ensures his protection. He can only be killed by the things that can kill Damon...fire, decapitation, staking or removal of his heart."

Damon and Elena looked at each other confused. Elena spoke first, "You just said he'd be 100% human. So he'll be immortal then?"

"Not exactly. The spell uses the healing effects of Damon's vampire blood to prevent him from being killed. He will eventually grow old and die but from natural causes."

Her explanation didn't make sense to Elena. "If he's protected by Damon's blood then why does it matter if Klaus finds out? He won't be able to do anything to him."

Bonnie looked at her sympathetically as she broke the news. "He's not protected while you're pregnant. If you die or are injured then he could die too. That's why you need to be careful. Once he's born and the cord is cut, Damon's blood takes over to protect him."

Completely confused, Damon said, "Wait what?"

Bonnie explained, "It goes back to the bloodline. He carries your blood, but while he's attached to Elena, he's attached to the Petrova line. Once that attachment is severed at birth, he becomes a Salvatore."

Damon, being the skeptic that he is, wasn't buying what she was spewing. "Something doesn't add up here. Why go to all this trouble with spells, just to stop Klaus from creating hybrids, when all Elena had to do was not have children? And why protect him after the birth? What aren't you telling us?"

Elena looked at Bonnie and noticed a panicked look on her face. The type of look you see when someone has called you out on a lie. Elena pleaded, "Bonnie, if there's more, we need to know now. You have no right to keep it from us."

Bonnie swallowed hard. She took a deep breath before continuing. "The real purpose of his birth is so the Originals can be destroyed once and for all."

Damon demanded, "How, when the last remaining weapon that could kill them was destroyed by Klaus?"

Bonnie replied, "The baby is the weapon." Damon and Elena looked at each other with astonishment, and then back at Bonnie with confusion. "Each second that he's alive, the Originals will grow weaker. It's not something they'll even notice. Eventually they'll be weak enough to be killed like any other vampire. His birth breaks the Petrova line that created the Originals. His life puts an end to the curse by killing them. Unfortunately, since their stength is tied to his life, he will be the only one that can kill them. When he grows up, he'll know instinctually when the time is right."

Damon asked, "And what if he chooses not to kill them?"

Grimly, Bonnie replied, "Then his life will be short."

Damon shook his head, "Great. His life is doomed just like the rest of us, and he isn't even born yet."

Suddenly, Elena thought about the consequences to her friends and to Damon. "If the Originals die, so does every vampire including Damon."

Bonnie shook her head. "No, they'll be released from the curse."

Damon had held his temper as long as he could. He was beyond irritated with this game of 20 questions. "What do you mean _released_?"

Bonnie explained. "All vampires will become human again. It's the Originals' fault that vampires were created in the first place. Any attrocities committed by vampires would never have occurred if the Originals hadn't started it all. They're the only ones who will be punished."

Elena inhaled sharply, raising her hand to cover her mouth. "Oh my God Damon! You'll be human. Caroline, Tyler, Stefan...will all be human."

Damon was floored by the possibility. He had only wanted to be a vampire to be with Katherine. When he'd thought she was dead, he hadn't wanted to turn. Since then, he had desperately missed being human but had to accept the reality that he couldn't go back. His son, the one who shouldn't even exist, would free him of this curse. Ironic since his father is the one who killed him, triggering the curse. Damon didn't know what to say. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We have a long way to go to even make that a possibility. We're going to need a plan to see this through."

Elena teased. "Well plans _are _your specialty. The witches picked the right vampire for that."

Though Bonnie knew she did the right thing by casting the spell, she still felt guilty. "I'm sorry guys. I wasn't trying to throw you under the bus, but this has gone on too long. They've ruined too many lives. And all our other plans have failed. This is all we have left."

Elena took a deep breath before exhaling. "Please tell me there are no more surprises like twin vampires or something."

"No, I swear. You know everything."

Still pissed at being put in this position, Damon warned, "We'd better. Anymore schemes done behind our backs and it will be the last spell you ever do."


	5. Chapter 5

After Bonnie left, Damon and Elena sat in silence staring at the fire. They were trying to absorb what they'd just heard. They'd been set up as the key players in a very dangerous plan to take out the Originals, once and for all. Damon lifted Elena's face to look at him and stroked her cheek. Concern was evident on his face at the site of how drained she looked. "It's getting late and you're exhausted. We've both had a long day. I don't want you going home tonight. We can figure this out in the morning."

She touched his hand, nodding solemnly in agreement. With a shaky voice, she said, "Yeah, I really don't want to be alone tonight either. I should let Jeremy know I won't be home."

"Ok. Send him a text then let's get you upstairs." She waited to get a reply back from Jeremy, before Damon took her by the hand and led her up to his room. They were in this together and tonight they needed to be with each other.

Elena took her clothes off in Damon's bathroom, deciding to sleep in her camisole and panties. She brushed her teeth with a toothbrush she'd left. Then she washed her face and patted it dry, getting ready for bed. Looking at herself in the mirror, she shook her head in disbelief. _Can we really do this?_

As she walked into the bedroom, she stopped momentarily and took in the site of the beautiful man lying on the bed. Damon was propped up in bed with a pillow behind his back. He was flipping channels on the TV, clad only in a pair of black low rise lounge pants that showed off his defined lower abdominal muscles. _God, I can only imagine what this baby will look like with a father like that. _She felt her body flush with excitement. She let out a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She shook it off before continuing into the room. They had too much to think about for that right now.

Damon turned off the TV, as Elena crawled into bed next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her. Elena was exhausted. All she wanted to do was go to sleep, but her mind wouldn't let her. Damon was obviously having the same problem. He stroked her hair softly, glad that she had decided to stay. It wasn't safe for her to be home without protection. Jeremy couldn't keep her safe from Klaus. He knew she would balk at first, but he needed to convince her to move in, so he could take care of her, of them.

It was Elena who broke the silence. "I'm so furious with Bonnie for putting us in this position. How could she do this behind our backs? How could she risk an innocent life like that? This plan doesn't just affect the Originals. What she did changes our whole lives. What kind of life is this baby even going to have?" She looked up at Damon, his facial expression showing his agreement. She sighed, conceding. "But as much as I hate to admit it, she's right this needs to end. We've tried everything else and nothing has worked. It's just that, I hadn't decided if I even wanted to bring a child into this supernatural mess. But now that's been decided for me." She noticed Damon remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. She propped herself up on her elbow to get a better look at him. Running her fingers gently back and forth over his chest, she asked, "Are you ok? You haven't really said much since Bonnie left."

He raised his eyebrows, subtly shaking his head. His lips formed into a tight smile, implying he was unsure. Finally, he answered, "I was just thinking how surreal this is. It was just a few months ago that you finally admitted you loved me. I'm still reeling from the shock of that." He shook his head again in disbelief. "And now, I'm listening to our son's heartbeat, a son that shouldn't even exist." He closed his eyes, listening intently. "Yet the heartbeat is too strong for this not to be real."

Elena looked at him sweetly. She put her hand on his cheek and gently stroked it with her thumb. "I know what Bonnie said about why this is all happening. Still, I can't help but think there's more to it than that."

He looked at her, exasperated. "Please, no more hidden agendas. We already have too many."

She half smirked. "That's not what I mean. What I mean is I don't think this is just about killing the Originals. I think there's more to it than that. This baby may end the Petrova bloodline, but it also restarts another ... _yours_." He looked at her in wonderment. "You said you'd made Emily Bennett a promise, to protect the Bennett line from harm, in exchange for help getting Katherine out of the tomb. You even tried to save Emily from being burned as a witch."

He rolled slightly onto his back. "Yeah, too bad I didn't know I was being used."

She explained, "That's my point. You kept your promise except she lied to you. What if you're finally being paid back for keeping her ancestors safe?"

He didn't know what to think. All he knew was somehow he was being given a second chance, at a life he'd lost long ago. He looked over at Elena doubtfully. "I don't know about that. Witches aren't exactly very forgiving. I can't imagine them rewarding me after the things I've done."

She had been so afraid earlier when she found out she was pregnant. Now, she found some solace in knowing she was giving Damon something he missed out on, when he became a vampire. She scooted closer to him. "It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not. The truth is you're going to have a human son. And whatever their reasons, they chose _you_ for that." She snuggled into his chest. She whisper, "Good night Damon." And then she fell asleep. He stayed awake for a while, enjoying the sound of his son's heartbeat, until the rhythmic thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud, lulled him to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Damon lead Stefan down the long, dimly lit hallway towards their mother's room. Her health had deteriorated over the last few weeks, and she'd asked to see her sons one last time. He had lived there his whole life yet Damon never noticed how dreary the hallway to his parent's room appeared. As they approached the room, their father was exiting with bloodshot eyes. He moved past them as if they didn't even exist. Damon stopped to stare at his father, as he passed by, while their servant Hetty took Stefan by the hand and led him to their mother's room.

Damon followed his father down the stairs, watching in stunned disbelief, as his father grabbed his coat to leave. "Father where are you going?'

Guisseppe simply replied, "Out."

Shocked, Damon said, "But mother is dying."

Not looking at Damon, he continued to put on his coat, scarf, and hat to leave. Harshly, he replied, "We all die son. No point in dwelling on it."

Appalled by his father's callousness, Damon yelled, "She needs you! How can you just leave her to die alone?"

Guisseppe was infuriated by his son's tone. He rushed over to Damon, grabbing him by the shirt and smacking him upside his head. "How dare you use that tone with me! Show some respect!"

Damon reeled back from the slap that left his head ringing. Tears burned his eyes and he gritted his teeth. He said, "Yes, father." He backed away, and then ran upstairs.

He stopped just outside his mother's room. He slid to the floor with his back against the wall, to wait for his mother to finish talking to Stefan. He could hear her struggle to speak, as her coughing and wheezing increased with the effort. He heard her tell Stefan, "I will not be around much longer to look after you. So mind your father and look to Damon for guidance. I want you to know how much I love you, and that I will always watch over you." At just 6 years old, Stefan couldn't fully comprehend why his mother was telling him these things. He knew that she had been sick with a '_cold',_ but he didn't understand the gravity of the situation. Damon being 6 years his senior understood all too well. The pneumonia had damaged their mother's lungs to the point that she wouldn't survive much longer. He knew his father would never discuss it, and it would be up to him to explain it to Stefan when he got older.

He heard his mother kiss Stefan goodbye and telling him to "be brave". Hetty escorted Stefan from the room and informed Damon that his mother was ready to see him. Hesitantly, he entered the room. He was overwhelmed by the sense of dread at the thought of saying goodbye to his mother. As he approached, his mother motioned for him to sit on the bed beside her.

"Come closer son." She brushed a piece of his wavy jet black hair away from his forehead then ran her hand down his cheek lovingly. The blue eyes they shared filled with tears, reflecting the sorrow she saw in his eyes. "My sweet Damon. I love you so much." She smiled weakly and began coughing uncontrollably. Concerned, Damon handed her a cloth from the bedside table. When she regained her breath, and pulled the cloth away from her mouth, he could see the bright red blood that covered it. She struggled to speak. "Promise me that you will look after your brother. Your father's punishments can be harsh, but he means well."

Softly, Damon replied, "I will mother. I wish you did not have to die. I will be so alone without you."

"You still have your father and brother who love you."

Damon lowered his head in sorrow. "Father hates me. He says I am nothing but a disappointment to him."

"Oh son, your father does not hate you. He just has difficulty showing his emotions."

He scoffed, "He does not have trouble showing me his anger."

She coughed again, spitting up more blood. She managed to regain her breath enough to continue. "He is just intimidated by your courage to stand up to him. He is not used to being challenged."

Shame graced Damon's face. He bowed his head with regret. "I am sorry mother. I try to obey him, I really do. It is just how can I follow something I truly believe is wrong?"

"Following what is in your heart is part of who you are Damon. Never apologize for that."

"Father said it is what makes me weak."

She smiled sweetly. "No son, it is what makes you strong. Fighting for what you believe is right no matter the personal cost is a heavy burden to bear." She wheezed out, "You have good instincts and sound judgement. You are fiercely protective of those you love. And you never break your word. These are admirable qualities. You will grow up one day to be a fine man and good father. I will always be proud of you son."

A tear ran down Damon's cheek. "What will I do without you mother?"

She wiped away the tear as she struggled again to speak. "As long as I am in your heart, you will never be without me." Her name Luciana meant 'g_racious light'_ and stood for hope. She was the only one who ever truly believed in Damon.

He asked, "Can I stay with you a while?"

She touched his face once more, as tears welled in her eyes at her son with the big heart. "I would like that son," she said.

Damon woke up in a haze. He had no idea how much time had passed, or why his father hadn't dragged him out of the room. Sitting in the chair beside his mother's bed, the last thing he remembered was resting his head on the bed. He must have dozed off while his mother stroked his hair. He only woke up when Hetty gently shook him. She said, "Master Damon, she is gone."

He blinked away the sleep from his eyes to look at his mother's pale, lifeless body. His lips quivered, as tears sprang uncontrollably from his eyes, and ran down his cheeks. He reached to touch her hand, recoiling briefly at the cold feel of her skin. He leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her head. "Rest in peace mother." Hetty had stopped the clock at the time she died. As Damon rose to leave, he glanced at the clock. The time of death was 12:15 am.

Damon jolted awake, momentarily disoriented. _A dream. It had been just a dream. No, it was a memory._ It was a memory he had pushed from his mind for nearly a century. Why had he recalled it now? He looked at the clock...12:15 am. _Weird. _Elena stirred next to him, mumbling something incoherent. He looked over at her sleeping figure. God, how much he loved her. He would do whatever it took to keep her and their son safe. His mother's words of encouragement rang in his ears. He would not fail them even if he died in the process. He rolled over and gently stroked Elena's hair. No, he would not fail them.


	7. Chapter 7

In the morning, Elena awoke first. Damon laid on his side with his back facing her. She took in the sight of his bare back with his defined muscles. She smiled to herself at how enticing it was just looking at him. Feeling a sudden surge of naughtiness, she snuggled up behind him, and began nibbling on his ear. Her hand gently rubbed across the front of his waistband, in sighting an immediate arousal. "Mmmm...Good morning to you too." He gently stroked the arm she had wrapped around him.

Her breath was hot in his ear, sending chills of desire through him. She whispered, "Well, if you like that then you'll definitely enjoy this." Her hand slowly slipped deep inside his lounge pants, allowing her fingers to stroke up and down his rather large erection. His body tensed at the sudden pleasure of her warm hand. He let another groan escaped his lips. He rolled over to look at her lustfully with a smirk on his face. She continued to kiss along his neck and collar bone. She secretly loved how hard she could make him with the slightest of efforts. She worked her kisses up his throat to his jaw. Her lips rested on his in a deep kiss while his hands brushed back her hair. Elena had the most wicked smile on her face that he'd seen since they'd been together. She clearly was enjoying what she was doing to him. Her lips once again left his and worked their way along his neck, down his chest. She gently placed a little bite on his nipple, making him tense at the erotic feel of her teeth. All the while her hand never missed a stroke to his cock. She continued with feather-like licks and kisses down his stomach. She reached the edge of his pants, running her tongue along the seam. She pushed herself up onto her knees, causing her to stop mid-stroke. He gave her a disappointed look which just made her smile more wickedly. Her fingers ran along the inside of his waistband. She whispered, "These are in my way." He was so incredibly hard. She had to lift the waistband up and over his member because they kept getting stuck on his cock. He scrambled to help her remove them, so she could get her hand back to the stroking he so desperately missed.

Instead, she licked her lips seductively, flipping her hair to the side. Elena leaned down to place kisses all around his hips and groin, allowing her warm breath to brush over his erection in a teasing manner. She could see him squirming in anticipation of her mouth. Just before she wrapped her lips around him, she looked up to see him breathing heavily. Intensely, he stared down at her, waiting to see her engulf him in her mouth. Her tongue slowly licked the tip, causing him to flinch at the intense feeling. Too painstakingly slow for him, Elena slid her mouth over the head, taking him all the way back to her throat. If Damon hadn't been so experienced, he would've lost it right there. But he wasn't about to let this end so quickly. She ran her lips up and down, gradually increasing the speed of her motion, as she took him in and out of her mouth. She ran her fingers along his pelvis, stroking his pubic hair and around the base of his shaft. After a few moments, she stopped suddenly again, an amused look on her face, when she heard him gasp at the loss of friction.

He gave her a dirty look. "It's not nice to tease you know."

She slowly crawled up his body in a predatory manner. She straddled herself over his throbbing erection. "Who said I was just teasing?"

He raised an eyebrow in a quizzical look, watching her move her panties aside. His desire for her increased when she began to rub her wetness over him. He grabbed her hips, assisting with the back and forth motion. He said playfully, "I stand corrected. But you know these are now in _my_ way." With one quick motion, he tore her panties off like they were made of tissue paper.

She leaned over him, placing a hand on each side of his shoulders. With her mouth just inches away from his lips, she teased, "You know, if you keep ripping off all my panties, I'm not going to have any left."

He taunted her back. "Then maybe you should stop wearing them."

She kissed him, smiling. Between kisses, she said against his lips, "Mmm, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

"You know I would." Mid-kiss he flipped them over, resting himself on top of her. Damon smiled lustfully at her through hooded eyelids. He asked, "Not that I'm complaining, but what's with the sudden surge of aggressiveness?"

"I don't know. I guess the pregnancy has my hormones raging."

"Ooo, we should definitely take advantage of that." He pressed their bare pelvises hard together, so she could feel his excitement, and kissed her passionately. Her hands ran wildly through his hair. Damon lightly ran his lips down her neck, taking in her scent, and the pulse of her blood as it coursed through her jugular. His hands ran over her camisole covered nipple. She was breathing heavily at the feel of his hand cupping her breast.

She hissed, wincing slightly in pain. "Ssss…I'm kind of tender there."

He removed his hand instead, running it down her side. Instead, he placed gentle kisses down her cleavage. "I'm sorry. Is this better?"

She nodded. "Much better."

His hand slid between her thighs, running softly up the inside, until they reached their destination. "Or maybe I should focus on right _here_."

She let out a gasp when his fingers touched the center of her sensitive button. Her breaths became more ragged with each stroke of his fingers along her clit. She stammered, "Oh that…that…feels…incredible."

He brought his lips to her ear. His hot breath sent shivers all through her when he whispered, "Good then I won't stop until you scream." Damon continued to manipulate her steadily, while placing light kisses and licks all along her stomach and hips. Her breathing increased and her body started to shudder, signaling she was close to the edge. Just when he felt she was near the point of no return, he slid himself deep inside her, never letting up on his manipulation. She let out a loud moan as she climaxed. He could feel the flush of her wetness all around him. The speed of his penetration increased along with the level of his excitement.

Still riding the high of her orgasm, she shouted, "God I love it when you do that."

He bit his lip, smiling down at her, pleased at his success. "I know. I like it too."

He kissed her passionately while he continued to pump inside her. Her hands roamed his strong back, resting at the arch, and pulling him deeper into her. After a few minutes, Elena took control again, and pushed them onto Damon's back to straddle him. His hands rested on her hips, helping them rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern. At one point he sat up to meet her lips cupping one hand behind her ear and propping himself up with the other hand. She continued to grind herself into him. Her hands ran along his face and down his chest, while her lips followed along his collar bone with kisses. She could feel his body tense, and he let out a satisfying moan as he exploded inside her. She felt his warm fluid fill her up and drip its way out. As he collected himself, he pulled her in for another passionate kiss.

Elena enjoyed how his cock filled her. She didn't want the feel of him inside her to end, so she made no move to pull him out. Her fingers stroked at his hair sweetly. She moan in satisfaction. "Mmmm, I could sit like this for hours."

He chuckled. "Lucky for you I recover quickly. If you keep pressing me into you, we'll be on round two in about a minute." She continued running her fingers tenderly through his hair and over his face, smiling at him. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, reveling in her soothing touch. Suddenly, he felt her hands jerk away and her body tense. Damon opened his eyes to see all the color drain from her face. Concerned, he asked, "What's wrong?" Before Elena could answer, she flew off of him and ran to the bathroom. It happened so fast, he was left stunned and confused. He quickly jumped off the bed and went after her.


	8. Chapter 8

As he rounded the corner, he heard Elena retch. "Elena?" She was squatted down heaving into the toilet.

Damon sped over to Elena, squatting down next to her in concern. "Are you OK?"

She turned her head slightly to look at him. Her face was very pale, and she was trying to hold back another heave. She managed to get out, "Uh, it must have been the motion."

Damon pulled her hair away just in time for her to retch again, only this time nothing came out. He gently rubbed her back, not knowing what else to do to help her. "Can…I …get you anything? Maybe you'd feel better if you had something on your stomach."

Elena shook her head, quickly extinguishing that idea. "No, no the thought of food right now…" She heaved again. After a few minutes, she managed to get her dry heaving under control and started to stand up, stumbling from weakness. Damon grabbed her arm, supporting her back to keep her from falling. "Whoa! I guess I got up too quickly," she said. She took a couple of deep breaths before attempting to move again. "I'm OK now, really." She made her way over to the sink to get a glass of water.

Damon looked into the toilet, grimacing before he flushed. _There's nothing even in there._

Elena started opening the drawers under the sink. "Do you have any mouthwash?" Damon reached into the cabinet on the wall and handed her the bottle. She took a swig from the cup and rinsed her mouth out in the sink before splashing water on her face.

He'd been around long enough to know that morning sickness was normal for someone who was pregnant, but he never witnessed it before. Watching her suffer made him feel so helpless, which was a feeling he wasn't used to. Looking at her in the mirror with concern, he said, "Maybe you should just take it easy today."

Wiping her face with a towel, she shook her head. "No, I have to go to class."

"So, skip it."

"I can't. I skipped yesterday to see Meredith remember?"

_Grrr she can be so stubborn sometimes._ "Who cares about college right now? You've got more important things to worry about," he countered, pointing to her stomach.

"Damon, I need to get back to my normal routine. If I suddenly stop going to my classes, it will look suspicious. We want to keep this a secret as long as we can, don't we?"

"Fine. Then I'll go with you."

Exasperated, she said, "Damon, you can't follow me around all day. That'll raise more suspicion."

Frustrated, he said, "You know it's not going to take Klaus long to figure out you're pregnant. He'll know the first time he's near you."

Elena looked down at her stomach. "But I'm not even showing yet."

"That's not what I'm talking about. If I can hear the baby's heartbeat so can he, so can Caroline, and so can Tyler."

A look of concern came over her face. "I hadn't thought about that. But as long as I'm in a room full of people, I should be safe. I mean their heartbeats will drown his out right?"

"We can't take that chance. I'm not letting you go to school unprotected."

"Look, Bonnie will be with me. She's the one who did the spell, so the least she can do is keep me safe, while I'm at school."

"After that business she did with the spell, I'm not so sure I trust Judgey these days."

Elena countered his snarky comment. "Well I can't hide out for the next 7 months." The look on Damon's face told her that's exactly what he wanted her to do. She said firmly, "I'm NOT hiding out for 7 months. So what if we don't keep the actual pregnancy a secret? What if we let people know I'm pregnant, but just not tell them the whole truth?"

He looked at her like she was being ridiculous. "Yeah, and where are you going to come up with a father out of the blue? Are you going to say it's the next immaculate conception? Because if you say I'm the father, Klaus will definitely know something is up. No vampire has reproduced before remember?"

She scowled at him. "What if I say we got into a fight and split up for a few days? I could say I was upset and went to visit Matt at school. We got drunk, and we slept together."

He scoffed, "You know Caroline will be on the phone chewing Matt out the second she hears that."

Elena said, "So, I'll call Matt so he knows what to say."

"Elena, the idea is to keep the truth from as many people as possible. The more people you tell the greater the chance is Klaus will find out the truth."

"Well, I can't say I just picked up some random stranger at the bar for a one night stand."

Damon snorted. "No one would believe that anyway."

Elena continued to think hard. "There has to be something else. What if I say I still wanted kids, but as long as we're together, I knew that wouldn't happen. So, I got a donor."

He looked at her like she was insane. "Ok, so far that is the most ridiculously, unbelievable thing you've come up with."

She got mad at his criticism. "I don't hear you coming up with any ideas."

He breathed out in frustration. "Fine. We say you pledged a sorority, and you went to a rush party, where you played a drinking game. One of the fraternity guys slipped something in your drink, and you blacked out."

Her eyes lit up. "And when I woke up, my clothes were disheveled, and I couldn't remember what happened. A few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant."

Damon finished the scenario. "Then I hunted the fraternity guy down and tortured him before killing him."

She gave him a rye smile. "That part is certainly believable."

Damon laughed sarcastically. "Ha, ha. It's not pretty, but it'll have to do."

Elena said, "Actually, I think it's a pretty good story."

He brushed her hair back from her face, as Elena leaned up to give him a quick kiss. When their lips parted, he teased, "If you're going to class, I suggest you wash up first. You have sex hair."

Elena tilted her head to the side, when she looked down, and noticed his growing erection. Playfully, she removed her camisole and headed towards the shower. "Care to join me?"

Damon flashed over to her, his naked body pressing against hers from behind, so she could feel his excitement. Seductively, he whispered in her ear. "Like you even have to ask."

The shower took longer than it should've, but washing up wasn't exactly their main focus. They finished getting dressed in Damon's bedroom. Hesitantly, he said, "Hey, there's something else we should talk about. I think you should move in. I can't keep you safe if I'm not with you. Yeah, I know Bonnie will watch out for you at school, but Jeremy can't protect you at home."

Elena looked down as if she was thinking about her response. Her response was simple. She said, "Ok."

Damon was so prepared for her rejection of the idea that he was thrown off by her response. "Now look, I know… Wait, did you just say ok?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Damon gave her a distrusting look. "That was way too easy. You're not going to argue with me?"

"No Damon. I know you're just trying to look out for us. I can't afford to be stubborn about this. It's not just about me anymore."

Stunned, Damon wasn't quite sure what to say. He had expected more of an argument. "Ok then. Good."

"But…"

Damon gave her an exasperated look. "I _knew _there would be a "but."

Elena placed her hand on his chest to calm him. "Let me finish. All I was going to say is that I'd like to wait a few weeks before I move in. I need to tell Jeremy still. And I want to make sure I get some things settled since he'll be living on his own."

"Elena, you're moving a few miles away not out of the country. And what exactly are you planning on telling him?"

Elena paused, knowing what she was about to say wouldn't go over well. "I'm going to tell him the truth, the whole truth."

Damon let out a heavy sigh. "Didn't we just go over this? The less people who know the better remember?"

"I know, but Jeremy won't tell anyone."

"He could be tortured into it."

"No, he's on vervain. Besides, his ring will protect him. Damon, I just don't want to lie to him anymore."

Damon stared at her a minute in silence, clearly unhappy with her decision. Reluctantly, through gritted teeth, he answered. "Fine. But no one else. I mean it, not Barbie, not wolfboy, or even the quarterback. Got it?"

She nodded. "I got it."

"And I'll be staying with you until then."

"And you always say I'm stubborn." She gave him a sarcastic smile.

With that they headed downstairs. Damon gently grabbed Elena's arm, pausing before they reached the front door. "We should get you something to eat before you go."

Elena grimaced. "Uh no, my stomach is just starting to feel better. Besides, I don't have time. I still need to stop home to change."

Damon looked at her concerned. "Elena, you have to eat something."

"I will later." He looked at her like he didn't believe her. "I promise."

He conceded, "If I find out you didn't eat, I'm going to spoon feed you myself."

"Ah, and then I'll barf all over you."

He placed his hand on her back, as he walked her out the door to her car. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"You don't have to walk me to my car you know."

"Boy you have a short memory. You. Safety. Remember?" They stood next to the driver's side door, and she wrapped her hands around his waist, while he encircled her in his arms.

Elena smiled up at him. "So, you plan on shadowing my every move?"

"Hey, someone has to keep your stubborn ass out of trouble." He leaned down and kissed her softly, before she got into the car.

As she climbed into the car, she said, "I'll see you later, ok?"

"Call me when you're on your way home from class." Elena nodded and gave a quick wave goodbye, as she shut the door. Damon stood in the driveway a minute, watching her drive away.

Elena barely made it in time for class. She'd stopped home to change and attempted to eat something small like she'd promised Damon. Unfortunately, that didn't go over very well. In no time she was hovering over the toilet again. Needless to say, by the time she finished pulling herself together, she was running late for class. Fortunately, she had missed Jeremy, otherwise she would've had to take even more time to explain to him why she was so sick. Jeremy's reaction to this mess was not going to be good. Damon might want her to keep the truth from her friends, but she wasn't about to lie to her brother. He deserved to know the truth.

Elena snuck in quietly to the big lecture hall at Mystic University and found a seat next to Bonnie. Bonnie looked over at Elena sheepishly. "Hey, how are you doing?"

Elena began pulling her notebook out of her book bag. "I've been better. I've thrown up twice already, and it's not even lunch."

Bonnie winced. "I'm sorry Elena. Are you still upset with me?"

Elena looked at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" She looked around to make sure no one could hear her. She gritted her teeth and said, "You placed a spell on my vampire boyfriend, so he could get me pregnant for some diabolical plan to kill the original vampire clan. Do you really expect me not to be mad?"

The professor entered before Bonnie could respond. "Good morning class. Today we'll be discussing the reason for the stock market crash, and your ideas to turn our economy around."

Bonnie mouthed, _Please forgive me! _

Elena pursed her lips in frustration. She nodded her head '_yes',_ before turning back to listen to the professor.


	9. Chapter 9

Damon was sitting in the library at the boarding house, trying to focus on how to reign in the council, before they sent out another extreme hunter to _'purge'_ the town of its vampire problem. Klaus wasn't the only threat to worry about. The last thing he needed was for someone to take him out, leaving Elena and their son unprotected. If they ever found out that a vampire had fathered a child, he was sure those fanatical vampire hating morons would see to it that his son was destroyed as well. He wasn't about to let that happen.

As he thought over the situation, his mind kept wandering to the dream he had last night, the dream about his mother's death. _Why did I dream about that after all these years? Does it mean something?_ He shook the thought off and returned to the matter at hand. _Killing each council member is out. If too many important members of the town started dropping off, people will grow suspicious._ _But, oh, would it feel good to snap some of their judgmental necks. Compulsion is out, unless I can somehow taint their vervain supply, rendering it useless. Think, think, think. Maybe we could falsify a psychiatric report saying Ric was mentally ill and delusional, when he named the town vampires. We only need one vampire to be the scapegoat. I'm sure I could come up with one. Hell, I'll even turn someone if I have to._

Mid-thought Damon's mind wandered back to the dream. He sighed heavily, as he leaned back in the chair and ran his hands down his face, trying to clear his head. He picked up the glass of bourbon off of the desk, swishing it around in the glass. He took a big gulp from the glass. He squeezed his eyes shut tight then opened them, trying to regain his focus. He hadn't been there much in the century and a half since he turned. Maybe the dream was telling him to go. He needed to clear his head anyway. There was no way he was going to be able to focus unless he addressed this. Roaming around the old property couldn't hurt.

Damon drove deep into the woods to the ruins of the Salvatore estate. It had been decades since he'd returned. What was the point? All that remained were a few decayed walls of the burned out mansion, the servant quarters, and the family cemetery. He had been to the property sporadically over the years, since he turned but couldn't bring himself to visit the cemetery where his mother was buried. Though he knew his mother would always forgive him, he was ashamed of what he'd become, of what they'd become. He was ashamed that he had closed off his heart for so long, which is what his mother had loved the most about him.

He walked through an area, stepping over downed trees, and pushing aside overgrown brush until he reached the private graveyard, located several hundred yards to the side of the mansion. He approached hesitantly and stopped when he reached his mother's grave. There stood a large upright angel with engraving on the base of the stone. The writing was extremely weathered, but he could still make out her name "Luciana Margharite Salvatore." He stood before it with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and looked down at her resting place.

After a moment, he squatted down and ran a hand over the worn out words on her headstone "Beloved Wife, Mother. Born 1822. Died 1853 from pneumonia". He tightened his lips together not knowing what to say. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry I haven't been here in a while Mother. I haven't been the son you remember in a _very_… long…time. Stefan and I have done a lot of terrible things since you died. I should've protected him better like I promised, instead of allowing our rivalry to tear us apart." He frowned in self loathing. "Hmpf, all over a woman." He bent his head down, feeling shameful. He shook his head, thinking about how far his brotherly bond with Stefan had recently come. He looked back up at the stone. "But someone special brought us back together. She's giving me a chance at the life I threw away. And I'm not going to screw it up this time. I promise." He placed his hand over her worn out name and set his jaw in a straight line of determination, as he let his fingers run down the stone.

He got up to leave, looking over at the headstone next to hers. It read "Guiseppe Arturo Salvatore. Beloved Husband, Father. Born 1807. Died 1864 from an animal attack." Damon shook his head and frowned, remembering that the _'animal',_ that had killed their father, was none other than Stefan, the _'good son'_. "And you always said _I_ was the disappointment. At least I'm not the one that killed you." Damon had nothing else to say to his father. He shook his head in disgust and walked away, heading out of the graveyard to wander the property.

He walked up the broken steps to what used to be the main entrance of the mansion. Two white pillars to the massive front porch stood partially crumbled. The archway to the door was still intact, but the door had long ago fallen apart. Damon stepped carefully through the doorway, where portions of marble flooring were visible from what remained of the grand foyer. To the right, remains of broken steps that once lead to the upstairs living areas were all that were visible of the once winding grand staircase. On the left was another partial wall and archway that led to the study. There was a hearth surrounded by some bricks, indicating where a large fireplace once stood. Damon scanned the area, recalling times he'd spent as a child in these very rooms. He continued on to what used to be the kitchen. Not much remained in this area, but a part of a coal stove, broken pieces of a porcelain sink, and some burned floor boards. Off to the right of the kitchen was the grand dining room, where Damon and his family spent many dinners entertaining guests.

A memory flashed through Damon's head of the 14 foot table and intricately carved wooden chairs. He recalled how the tables were covered with pristine white linens. Placed on them was fine bone china, elegant crystal drinking glasses, and highly polished real silver. Over head was a candle light chandelier. The table was covered with a decadent feast of fruits, cheeses, meats, pasta, fresh bread, and vegetables, basically more food than was possible to eat for the number of guests in attendance. His parents always made sure a large spread was put out for guests to enjoy.

He recalled the servants, as they poured glasses of expensive wine for the adults. _Wine? WINE! _Damon turned suddenly, walking back through the kitchen, out of the remains of the door frame that lead to the back porch. Off to the left were stone steps leading to a large wine cellar. Damon descended the steps to the wine cellar, stopping when he reached the solid oak door. The door was warped but still intact for the most part, with the exception of the lock and hinges that had been broken off. He pushed the massive door aside to enter and was immediately hit with a musty smell.

It was pitch black inside, making it difficult to see anything even with his enhanced vampire vision. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, using the back light to illuminate the steps, as he entered. Shining the phone light along the room, he saw partially rotted racks covered in spider webs, used to store bottles of wine. Though the racks were decayed, the structure consisting of stone walls appeared solid and intact. As he made his way through the cellar, he came upon a heavily dusted bottle of wine, tucked in an inconspicuous spot. It was a Chianti dated 1840. Surprised by the find Damon, said out loud, "Damn, that's older than me. I wonder if it's any good? Hmpf, only one way to find out." He stuffed the bottle under his arm, as he continued to survey the cellar. Nodding his head, he said, "Yeah, this could definitely work, with a little modification." He exited the cellar and walked back towards his car. He took one last glance surveying the area. "Remote, concealed by woods. This could definitely work."

Bonnie and Elena left the lecture hall, deciding to grab something to eat before their next class. They walked through the university courtyard to the student center. Bonnie asked, "Has Damon calmed down any since last night? He was pretty pissed."

Elena was holding her book bag close in front of her, trying to conceal any possible bulge her abdomen might show. "Well, he's moved from being pissed to overprotective mode. He wanted to follow me around to all of my classes."

Bonnie made a face at her. "But that would just raise suspicion."

Elena saw, out of the corner of her eye, someone walking several feet behind them. She turned halfway to look briefly. It appeared to be another student leaving the same lecture hall. Elena said, "That's what I told him. So I volunteered _you_ to protect me while I'm at school. I mean, you are the one who put us in this situation you know."

Bonnie lowered her head, still feeling guilty about what she'd done to her best friend. "I know Elena. But you understand why, don't you?"

"I understand why you did it Bonnie, but that doesn't mean I appreciate someone else making life altering decisions for me. So, are you up for being my protector during the day?"

"Of course. I'll do whatever I can to make sure this plan plays out how it should. Once this supernatural mess is over, we can finally live our lives in peace."

Elena noticed that the stranger behind them had followed them into the student center. She kept her eye on him, as she continued talking to Bonnie. Bonnie had an uncomfortable look on her face. She asked, "Have you had a chance to tell Jeremy yet?"

Elena's stomach was growling, but she was reluctant to eat anything too heavy. So, she grabbed a cheese snack and a Coke, while Bonnie loaded her tray up with a drink, salad, and dessert. As they paid and made their way to sit down, Elena answered. "No, I spent the night with Damon. When I got home, Jer had already left for school. I plan on telling him tonight."

"So, what are you going to tell him?"

Elena sighed. "Bonnie, he deserves to know the truth. Damon wants me to tell him the story we came up with for everyone else, but I don't want to lie to him. Reluctantly, I got Damon to agree. He's coming over later. So, we'll tell Jer then." Elena looked over to see the student from the lecture hall, sitting 4 tables away, pretending to read his notes. She leaned in and whispered, "Is that guy following us? He's been walking behind us since we left the lecture hall."

Bonnie subtly dropped her napkin on the floor and looked over to the table, as she picked it up from the floor. "I'm not sure, but he doesn't look like he's really paying attention to his work. I have an idea." Bonnie picked up her tray and walked over to the garbage can behind the student to dump her trash. In the process, she bumped into the student's chair, brushing against his shoulder. She pretended not to see him because she was walking and texting. "Oh, excuse me. I'm so sorry. I should really watch where I'm going."

The student looked at her unsuspecting. He said, "No problem. It happens a lot these days."

Bonnie dumped her trash and returned to the table where Elena was sitting. She gave Elena a signal with her eyes that they should leave. Bonnie said, "I think we'd better get going. We don't want to be late for our next class."

As they walked out of the student center, they passed by the student Bonnie ran into. Bonnie smiled at him. She said, "Again, thanks for understanding." He smiled and nodded as Bonnie and Elena exited. Once they were outside Bonnie told Elena what she'd learned from her encounter. "He's a hybrid. I got the impression off of him when I bumped into him."

Elena was surprised. "Klaus. Now he has his hybrids following me. But why? He can't possibly already know."

"I don't know, but we need to be more careful with what we say and where we go." They continued walking to their next class, checking periodically behind them to make sure no one was following. Bonnie said, "Now tell me the story you guys are using so I'll know what to say."

Several hours later, Elena pulled into her driveway to see Damon's Camero parked in front of her house. _Weird, I just called him like 5 minutes ago._ Elena entered the house. "Damon? Where are you?"

Damon yelled back, "In the kitchen."

A delicious aroma wafted through the air, as she approached the kitchen. She walked in to see Damon stirring something on the stove in between chopping vegetables. She walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest in a quick hug. "How did you get here so fast? I just got off the phone with you."

"I was already here when you called. You should lock your windows. That's exactly why I'm staying until you move in."

Elena rolled her eyes. "You're the only one who would even think to come in through a 2nd story window. Besides, no one can enter unless they're invited in, remember?"

"Klaus could always compel a human, you know."

She raised her eyebrows and tipped her head, conceding that he was right. "Why are you making dinner?"

Damon continued to move the chopped vegetables over to the hot pot on the stove. "Because I want to make sure you eat."

"I ate today."

Damon gave her a questionable look. "Really? So, what did you eat?"

Elena tried to make it sound like she had a full lunch. "Bonnie and I ate in the student center for lunch."

"You didn't answer my question. What did you eat?"

She knew she was busted. "I had a Coke and a cheese stick."

"And that's why I'm making dinner. Starving yourself isn't good for you or the baby."

"I'm not starving myself intentionally. It's just I have a hard time holding anything down."

"That's why I'm making foods you should be able to tolerate better. I checked with Meredith, and she gave me a few suggestions." He pointed at the stove, where he had his homemade soup simmering, along with a nice fluffy batch of mashed potatoes, and biscuts.

Elena was confused. "Then what's that in the oven?"

"Oh, that's lasana. You might want to tell Jeremy after he eats."

Just then Jeremy walked in. "Tell me what?"


	10. Chapter 10

Damon and Elena looked at Jeremy in surprise. Damon had no idea why he hadn't heard Jeremy come in before he reached the kitchen.

"Well, what do you need to tell me?"

Damon looked at Elena, raising his eyebrows. He signaled to Elena with a tilt of his head for her to fill Jeremy in. She looked back at Damon with a pleading, worried look.

Jeremy watched the exchange between the two of them. He asked, "What the hell is going on? From the looks you two are giving each other, I'm guessing it's something I'm not going to be happy about. So, just spill it already."

Elena tried to stall a little longer. "Why don't we eat first, and then we can talk. Damon made some lasagna."

Jeremy pointed towards Damon. He said to Elena, "He cooked dinner? Please tell me he isn't moving in now."

Damon shrugged his shoulders in response. "Sort of."

Jeremy rolled his eyes with annoyance. "Seriously Elena? It's not bad enough that you're dating him, now you're letting him move in?"

Damon gave him a sarcastic smirk. "It's all so I can enjoy pleasant moments like this with you."

Elena lightly smacked Damon on the arm to stop teasing her brother. "He's not moving in Jer. He's going to be staying here a little more, but he isn't moving in." She hesitated. "But I _will_ be moving there."

Jeremy was livid. "Why because you just can't stand not seeing him 24/7? He's controlling you. Can't you see that?"

She snapped back, "He's not controlling me!"

"Are you kidding me Elena?"

"Jer…"

Mid-sentence Jeremy asked, "How can you move in with _him?_ I need you here."

Damon leaned forward on the counter and calmly chimed in. "Calm down Jeremy. Let your sister explain."

Jeremy breathed heavily in anger at the thought of his sister moving in with a vampire. Vampires had already taken from him his entire family. And now Damon was trying to take his sister away too. He'd come so close to losing her so many times, he wasn't willing to risk her getting in deeper with their kind.

Elena tossed her hands up in the air in frustration She blurted out, "I'm pregnant."

Jeremy looked at her in disbelief. "What?! You actually expect me to believe that?"

Damon jumped in. "It's true. And before you get all excited that she dumped me for a human, she didn't. It's mine."

He was flabbergasted. "He's a vampire Elena! How the hell did this happen?"

Damon snidely replied, "Why don't you ask your witchy girlfriend?"

Jeremy looked like someone gave him a slap across the face. "Bonnie? What does Bonnie have to do with this?"

"Bonnie put a spell on Damon so I could get pregnant."

Accusingly, Jeremy glared at Damon. "You set her up to this."

Damon replied defensively, "It was her idea. I had nothing to do with it. Well, _technically,_ I guess I did but not intentionally."

Elena rolled her eyes at him. "Not helping."

Jeremy's head was spinning. He felt like he was losing his mind. He couldn't believe that his girlfriend would do something like this to his sister. _A baby, with a vampire? _"What the hell Elena? This is really messed up." Jeremy stumbled back to sit at the table, trying to stop his head from reeling.

Elena walked over to the table and sat down in the chair next to him. She placed her hand on his arm to comfort him. "Look Jer, Damon and I were just as shocked as you are. We had no idea about Bonnie's spell until it was too late. We're not exactly happy she put us in this situation without telling us first. But I understand why she did it."

"What possible reason could justify Bonnie using you as some vampire test tube experiment? She knows how much you've been through."

Elena sighed. "Bonnie found a way to end the Petrova curse, putting an end to this Original mess. The dead witches lead her to the spell. In order for it to work, I need to have a male child to ensure no more dopplegangers can be born. Damon's family carries only the male gene, so she needed to use his bloodline to ensure the sex of the baby."

Jeremy looked at Damon. "_You_? Someone's father? Un-fucking-believable."

Damon walked over to where they were sitting and leaned against the table next to Elena. He didn't deny the ridiculousness of him being a father. "Yeah, not exactly how I see myself either."

Elena glared at Damon. "The witches _chose _you for this remember?" She looked back at Jeremey. "They wanted Damon to be the father because they knew he'd keep us safe."

Jeremy argued, "You're safe right here with me. None of them have been invited in. I can protect you."

Damon was getting annoyed at his delusions of grandeur. "Really Jeremy? How are you going to protect her from Klaus when you can't even protect yourself? Do you need me to give you another demonstration of how incapable you really are?"

Jeremy gave Damon a dirty look, knowing full well what that '_demonstration'_ would consist of. He'd had his neck broken by him once before. He didn't need a repeat performance.

Elena looked sharply at Damon then back to Jeremy. "Jeremy, Damon's right on this. I don't want you getting hurt. As much as you hate to admit it, you know he's right too. That's why I'm moving to the boarding house, so he can protect me...us. The witches chose a vampire for a reason."

Jeremy gave Damon a hard stare. He was met with an equally hard stare back. Yes, Damon was a dick most of the time, but he knew he would never let anything happen to his sister. He knew, somewhere in that dead heart of his, he loved Elena more than anything. And she loved him too, even if no one else could figure out why.

Elena continued. "Jeremy, I need to do this. You know I would do whatever I had to to keep those I love safe."

Jeremy shook his head in defeat. "I know Elena, but I just wish you didn't have to be the martyr all the time."

Elena gave him a tight smile and patted his arm. "Me too Jer. But this mess is my fault because I'm the doppleganger. I'd rather do this than sit back and watch the people I love die because of me."

Jeremy put his head in his hands in defeat. He breathed out a heavy sigh, as he ran his hands through his hair. Finally, he said, "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Elena nodded in understanding, "I know. Look Jeremy, it's very important that you don't tell anyone about this, that includes Matt, Tyler and Caroline. I don't want anyone else getting hurt over this. The less people that know the truth, the better it is for everyone. If Klaus finds out I'm having a boy, he'll try to kill him. He has to think I'm having a girl."

Jeremy studdered. "Uh...yeah...sure...but isn't Klaus going to find it strange that Damon fathered a child?"

Damon answered, "That's why we came up with a plan that you need to make sure you sell to him, even if he threatens you."

Annoyed at his insinuation, Jeremy said, "I'm not going to rat out my sister no matter what anyone does to me. I want to keep her safe as much as you do. She's the only family I've got left. I've got my ring to protect me. So what's the plan?"

Bonnie was at home looking through her grimmoires for a protection spell she could use to help keep Elena's condition hidden from Klaus as long as possible. So far, she hadn't found anything useful. Her cell phone rang, but she was too pre-occupied with the grimmoires to check the caller ID before she answered. She realized her mistake as soon as she heard Jeremy yelling at her, before she could even finish saying _'hello.'_

"Bonnie, what the hell were you thinking!?"

"Jeremy?" She cringed. "I take it Elena told you."

"Yeah, she told me. Hasn't Elena been through enough? Now you have to put her through this?"

Bonnie tried to explain. "I'm sorry Jeremy, but there was no other way to stop this mess."

"There's always another way."

Bonnie had a sudden flash of memory. Those were the same words she said to Damon not long ago, when he told her he had no choice but to turn her mother in order to save Elena.

Jeremy continued his rant. "And Damon of all people to be the father. I was hoping this vampire fascination of hers was just a phase. Now Elena will never have a normal relationship. She'll always be attached to a vampire."

"Look, I know you're upset, and I don't blame you for being furious with me. I just couldn't stand to see the people I love at Klaus' mercy any longer. Elena isn't the only one who has suffered here. We've _all_ suffered Jeremy."

"So, you sacrificed my sister, your best friend, is that it?"

"I had a tough choice to make, and I made it. I know it's harsh, but Elena understands. Unless this ends, we'll never be safe. We'll never live a normal life."

"We're never going to live a normal life if we stay in this town anyway. You know that. We're surrounded by hybrids, and, werewolves, and vampires, and God knows what else."

Bonnie paused for a moment. "Jeremy, what exactly did Elena tell you?"

"She told me that you put a spell on Damon, so she could have a son that would end the doppleganger thing."

"She didn't tell you the whole story then."

Confused, Jeremy asked, "What are you talking about? There's more?"

Bonnie explained, "The baby Elena is carrying will end vampirism forever. When he grows up, he can kill the Originals. In the process all other vampires will become human again. Our friends will be free." There was dead silence on the phone. Jeremy returned from his revere, when Bonnie asked him, "Jeremy, are you still there?"

"Uh...yeah…I'm still here."

Bonnie pressed on. "This child will not just make Mystic Falls safe but the entire world. Do you have any idea what this means? We could literally go anywhere and not have to worry anymore."

"We'll still have to worry about werewolves. I mean Tyler will still be a werewolf right?"

Bonnie laughed slightly. "Hey, one curse at a time." She could hear this got a chuckle out of Jeremy. "I know you don't like Damon being the father. Not many people like Damon at all, but Elena loves him. And at least when this is all over, he'll be human. Elena said he was different when he was human. Maybe he won't be so bad."

Jeremy scoffed, "Yeah, good luck with that."

After they'd broken the news to Jeremy, he'd isolated himself in his room. Damon cleaned up the dinner dishes while Elena attempted to finish some homework. She was having a hard time focusing on the chapter she was attempting to read, between being worried about leaving Jeremy all alone, and her growing tiredness. Damon noticed her eyes fluttering shut. "Why don't you go to bed. I'm sure you can do that tomorrow."

Elena yawned as she closed her book. "Do you think Jeremy will be ok here alone? I'm worried about how he took the news."

Damon gave her a look, implying she was being ridiculous. "He's a big boy Elena. He'll be fine. He actually took it better than I thought. You worry too much."

She got up and walked over to where Damon was putting the dishes in the dishwasher. Leaning against the counter. Sleepily, she said, "This coming from the man who insists on protecting me in my own house. You're a bigger worrier than I am."

He smiled at her teasingly, as he ran a finger down her cheek. He lifted her chin to look at him. "Yeah, well, what I have to protect is more fragile." He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss.

She smiled at him sleepily. "I'm going to go take a shower before bed. I'll see you upstairs."

"Ok." He snapped a dish towel at her rear end, teasing her as she walked past. Elena managed to dodge it. "Hey, what happened to me being fragile?" He chuckled as she left the kitchen.

A few minutes after Elena left, Damon heard Jeremy enter the kitchen. Without looking at him, he said, "She just went upstairs."

"I know. I came down to talk to you." Damon turned around, looking at him in surprise. "Bonnie told me the rest, about how all the vampires are going to be human again. You guys left that part out. Why?"

Damon sighed. "Because we don't know for sure if it's true, or if the witches are just using that so we'll follow through with the spell."

"Bonnie seems pretty certain of it."

"Yeah, well, I've been promised things before by the Bennett witches. They like to manipulate. I don't want Elena getting her hopes up."

Jeremy could see, by the look on Damon's face, that it wasn't just Elena's hopes he didn't want to get up. "Aren't you the least bit anxious about the possibility?"

Coldly, Damon replied, "Nope."

"Why not? I mean you'd have your humanity back. You'd get to start over again."

Damon narrowed his eyes at Jeremy, giving off an air of indifference. "What makes you think I care about being human again?"

Jeremy countered, "Come on Damon. No one wanted to be a vampire, not even you. You have to be a little excited about it."

Damon frowned. "Jeremy, I've been dead for 146 years. No vampire has ever come back to life. It's just not possible."

Jeremy laughed sarcastically. "Neither was reproducing, but that happened didn't it?" Damon looked at him, taken aback by the reality of his words. He scowled but didn't say anything. Jeremy turned to walk away then stopped to look back at Damon. "Elena said you were different when you were human, decent. Is that true?"

Damon pursed his lips as he contemplated his answer. "Yeah, I was more boring than Stefan."

Jeremy looked down smirking at his answer. He looked back at Damon and said, "Don't you think after all of this Elena deserves someone boring?" Before Damon could answer, he turned and walked out.

Damon was already lying in bed, thumbing through the latest issue of the _Enquirer_ Elena had sitting on the nightstand, when she exited the bathroom. "Did you know they found Big Foot in a wooded area of Oregon? What's next aliens?"

Elena smirked at him as she climbed into bed. "Well, stranger things have happened. Hey, thanks for dinner tonight and helping me tell Jeremy. I'm not sure I would've had the guts to do it by myself."

Damon smiled up at her. "No problem."

Elena hesitated. "I've got something to tell you that you're not going to be happy about."

Damon looked up at her with those piercing blue eyes, those eyes that melted her very soul. "What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "Today when Bonnie and I were leaving the lecture hall, one of Klaus' hybrids followed us."

"What!? Are you sure it was hybrid?"

"Yeah, Bonnie brushed against him in the student center. I don't get why Klaus would have someone following me. He can't possibly know already. I mean, we just found out ourselves."

Damon thought for a moment. "No, I doubt he knows. If he did, he wouldn't be so subtle about it. He must have his minions following you for another reason. Listen to me, you need to be extra careful. We have no idea what he's up to."

She nodded solemnly. "I will. Bonnie is looking for a spell to help hide the pregancy for a while."

"Good. I'll nose around and see what I can find out. We need to be one step ahead of him at all times."

Elena scooted down in the bed and nuzzled herself against Damon. Her leg brushed his bare skin underneath the covers. She was surprised to feel he was ready for action. Amused, she asked, "You're naked already?"

He smiled at her devilishly. "Of course. I mean you did say your hormones were raging. I'm just doing my job to help you out with that."

With a wicked smile on her face, she bit her lip. Seductively, she leaned close to his lips. She ran her hand under the covers over his very hard erection. She whispered, "So, where should we start?"


	11. Chapter 11

Two and a half weeks had passed with no sign of Klaus. They found it odd not to have a run in with him, since Mystic Falls was rather small. Damon suspected that Klaus was gone, at least for now, leaving his hybrid minions to stalk Elena. Given Klaus' propensity for diabolical schemes, having a hybrid tail Elena on a daily basis made Damon very uneasy. He had a motto he liked to live by, '_always keep your eyes on your enemy_.' Damon wouldn't be satisfied until he found out just what he was up to.

Within days, he had his answer from none other than the Original bitch herself, Rebekah. It wasn't hard to find her. These days, she spent just about as much time at the Grille as Damon had before he hooked up with Elena. Bex's main obsession had been Matt, but with him away at college, she trolled the Grille for a new play thing to stalk. All he had to do was sit at the bar. Eventually when her next victim fled, she'd plop herself down for a shot. That's when he'd make his move. In the past, it had been easy to manipulate her with his sexual charms. But that was definitely out of the question now for multiple reasons. Instead, he'd have to use his good old fashioned harassment skills.

Fortunately, Klaus had treated Bex with less than brotherly love, ever since the night Rebekah caused Matt's truck carrying Elena to run off of the Wickery Bridge. After a few drinks, it didn't take much coaxing to get her to spill Klaus' whereabouts. Klaus was off looking into another werewolf pack he'd heard about, to Rebekah's annoyance. He planned on bringing them back to Mystic Falls to spawn some more hybrids for his army. Bex had no idea how long he planned on being gone nor did she care. Once again, his army was more important than his family. She'd had enough of him and his stupid hybrids.

Damon thought his timing couldn't have been better. Klaus' departure meant Elena's pregnancy had more time to progress before they had to resort to their cover story. Since the hybrids followed at a distance, failing miserably at being inconspicuous, all Elena had to do was continue with her normal routine like nothing had changed, and avoid Rebekah as long as possible. Bex would be tricky. Still, they were pretty sure they could pull that one off, since Elena spent the majority of her time between college, studying, and Damon. She just needed to limit how often she frequented the Grille.

Klaus' absence also afforded Elena some breathing room to make preparations for her move to the boarding house. Damon had spent every night, since they found out, at the Gilbert house looking out for her safety. The plan was to have Elena moved before Klaus' return, whenever that might be. Elena desperately wanted to keep Jeremy out of this. This fight was her and Damon's, not his. Once she was with Damon, she hoped that Klaus wouldn't bother with Jeremy. Damon knew how to handle himself even against an Original. He'd survived against Klaus before. She was sure he could keep her and the baby safe. Elena had to keep telling herself that, or she'd never make it through this with her sanity.

Late in the afternoon, Bonnie and Elena found themselves with some spare time, when the professor for their last class didn't show. She and Bonnie decided to swing by the Grille to grab a quick bite to eat before heading home. She'd promised Damon she wouldn't go to the Grille, unless he was there to protect her, but she figured she would be just as safe with Bonnie by her side. If anything happened, Bonnie could always use her witchy migraine torture. She rationalized, _Besides the plan was to continue with my normal routine. What could be more normal than a bite at the Grille?_

The waitress had just seated them and taken their order, when Bonnie noticed someone watching them. "Looks like you have a female tail this time. No wonder I didn't notice her earlier."

Elena stiffed with irritation but didn't bother to look. "Ugh! They're driving me crazy. I can't go anywhere without eyes watching me. Klaus knows I'm in college. I'm not going to disappear while he's gone."

Bonnie joked. "He's probably worried Damon will try to turn you before he can bring back more werewolves."

Elena snickered. "Yeah, knowing him you're probably right. Heaven forbid, I can't make a blood donation." Elena took a sip of the hot chocolate the waitress had brought her. The nausea was starting to subside, but her stomach was still unstable at times. For some reason, the warm beverage seemed to sooth it, so she made sure to drink some before she attempted to eat anything solid. She gave Bonnie a strained look. "I know the hybrids are less of a problem than the original nightmare himself, but it's still unnerving. I'm mean, I'm starting to show a little, which worries me, because I have no idea what they're telling Klaus. What's going to happen when he shows up again?"

Looking over at the hybrid, Bonnie said, "I know, but try not to worry too much. I doubt they know anything. He doesn't exactly choose the brightest of the bunch." This caused a slight smile to spread across Elena's face, as she raised her mug for another sip.

Bonnie asked, "So, are you ready for the move this weekend? I'm sure Damon can't wait to be back in that enormous bed of his."

Elena smiled weakly, looking into her mug. "Yeah, I'm sure he can't."

Bonnie studied her friend's face with concern, trying to gauge Elena's mood. With her hormones all over the place, Bonnie never knew when Elena might burst into tears. The middle of the Grille was definitely not the place for that, especially with a hybrid watching her every move. She asked, "Elena, what's wrong? Are you having second thoughts about moving in with Damon?"

Elena shook her head and tried to explain. "No, Damon isn't the problem. He's right that the move is the best thing for us. It's just, I feel guilty about abandoning Jeremy. He's only 17. I don't feel comfortable leaving him all alone in that big house to care for his self. That's not what my parents would've wanted."

Bonnie said, "I'm sure he'll be fine. You'll still be around to take care of him." A mischievous smile crossed Bonnie's face. "Besides, who says he'll be all alone? The privacy will be nice."

Elena raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, ok then. I guess I've been a third wheel. Let me just say for the record, I do _not_ want to know the details." This prompted a series of giggles just like they'd done when they were 12 years old.

Just then, Bonnie's eyes grew wide, at the sight of someone over Elena's shoulder. Confused and afraid to look for herself, Elena asked, "Bonnie, what's wrong? Please don't tell me Rebekah is here, or worse yet, Klaus."

Suddenly, Bonnie's face lit up when Caroline bounced in front of Elena. "Surprise!"

Caroline's voice startled Elena, causing her to jump in her seat. "Oh, my God, Caroline! You scared me. What are you doing in town? Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

Caroline answered in her usual bubbly manner. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Did it work?" Both of her friends nodded their agreement. "I'm just here for the weekend. My dad's boyfriend had some belongings of his that he came across, when he was cleaning the attic, and thought I might want to look through them. He's bringing them by my mom's this weekend."

Bonnie asked, "Where's Tyler?"

"He stayed behind. He has this paper due on Monday, which of course he hasn't even started. So, it's just us girls." She looked at Elena and did a shooing motion with her hands. "Scoot over so I can sit next to you."

Elena slid over in the booth, a little nervous about Caroline sitting so close to her. As she scooted, she picked up her hoodie and placed it over her lap, attempting to hide the bulge in her stomach. Caroline had no idea about the pregnancy. And Elena had hoped to hide it from her for as long as possible. It's not that she didn't trust Caroline. It's just that she wasn't quite sure she was ready to deal with Caroline's reaction. Plus, she knew Caroline would immediately start planning a huge baby shower. Not really the thing to do when you're trying to keep a low profile. On the other hand, telling Caroline would be a good way to test out their story before they used it on Klaus.

Caroline gushed. "Oh guys, I'm so excited. I haven't seen you in so long. Elena, you are absolutely glowing. Are you using different make-up?"

Elena stammered, "Uh...um..."

Fortunately, Caroline moved on to Bonnie before Elena had a chance to respond. "So, how are you and Jeremy?"

"We're doing fine. It's a little tough finding time together because our school schedules are so different. But we're getting along great."

Caroline was very happy to hear. "Awesome!" Turning to Elena she said, "I'm afraid to ask, but how are you and…" She stopped herself, suddenly looking around confused. "What's that noise? Do you guys hear that?"

Elena looked at Bonnie, widening her eyes. There was a quiver noticeable in her voice when she said, "Noise? I don't hear anything. Do you Bonnie?" Bonnie immediately shook her head '_no_.'

Caroline waved her hands in front of her like she was shooing the thought away. "Oh, whatever. Anyway is Damon still stalking you?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "He's not _stalking_ me Caroline. We're dating, and you know I'm still with him. I just talked to you like 3 days ago."

"Well, a girl can hope can't she?"

Bonnie said, "Caroline!"

"What? I'm just saying. You should've stayed with Stefan."

Elena just shook her head. It was always the same argument with her. She'd been pro-Stefan ever since he helped her transition. Elena thought, _Of course you were hoping I'd broken up with Damon._ He wasn't exactly on her list of favorite people in Mystic Falls. Yes, he had used her to his advantage when he first arrived, but he'd changed so much since then. He had saved all of them more than once including Caroline. In fact, he almost died from Tyler's werewolf bite because of it. Caroline could always seem to rationalize the bad things Stefan did but never Damon.

She was bouncing in her seat with excitement. "Ok girls, so what's the plan for this weekend? Bar hopping? Good old fashioned slumber party?"

Elena said, "I can't Caroline. I already have plans with Damon this weekend."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Ugh! So cancel them. You can see him anytime. I'm only here for 2 days."

Elena exhaled. "I...can't, really."

Caroline pouted. "Well, why not?"

She hesitated, "Because…I'm…moving…in…with him. We're taking my stuff over this weekend."

Caroline's voice reached an octave Elena had never heard before. "Are you serious?! You can't move in with Damon!" She stammered, "That's just...that's just…Oh. My. God. I can't even believe this. You've been with him for like what 4 months? And you're already moving in with him?"

Elena tried to explain. "You don't understand."

Exasperated, Caroline said, "Uh no, I don't. Explain it to me because I can't fathom why you'd move in with Damon Salvatore. What, did he suck you in with the hot sex?"

Elena gave her a dirty look. "It's not about the sex,. But, yes, it is pretty hot."

Caroline crossed her arms stubbornly and gave her a look of irritation. "Really? Then what's it about?" Elena opened her mouth to speak, but the words just wouldn't come out. Caroline took a deep breath before continuing with her rant. "Elena, as your friend, it is my job to stop you from making mistakes. And this is a HUGE mistake."

Bonnie jumped in. "Caroline, it's her life. If she and Damon are happy and want to move in together, that's up to them."

Caroline looked at Bonnie in shock. "Uh, since when are you a fan of Damon's?"

"I'm not, but Elena is our friend. And I just think we should support her."

Elena said, "Thank you Bonnie."

Caroline's mouth was agape in exasperation. She looked back and forth between the two of them. "I can't believe this happening. How can you…," she lost her train of thought again at the faint sound. "There's that noise again."

Elena gave Bonnie a panicked look. _Here we go._

Caroline moved around in her seat, looking all over the bar. "Where is that coming from?" She listened closely then leaned into Elena. "It's coming from you." She looked even more puzzled, when she saw the knowing look exchanged between her two friends. "Ok, spill. What is going on?"

_It's now or never_. Elena slowly removed her hoodie from her lap, revealing the small pooch underneath.

Caroline followed her actions then looked up at Elena in confusion. She looked over to Bonnie, who just raised her eyebrows at her unspoken question. "Are you…_pregnant_?" Elena bit her lip slowly nodding _'yes.'_ Caroline just looked at her dumbstruck. For the first time, she was speechless.

Nervously, Elena chided her, "Wow! Caroline Forbes, speechless. That's a first." Bonnie chuckled.

Suddenly, Caroline found her voice again, and loudly, as a matter of fact. "You're pregnant!" Her friends both _'shhhed'_ her.

Elena said, "Not so loud. I don't want Klaus finding out just yet."

"Oh my God, Elena! Wait, I'm confused. Why are you moving in with Damon, if you cheated on him and got pregnant?"

Elena gave Bonnie a serious look. _Because it's his baby, _she thought to herself. What she said was, "First of all, I didn't cheat on Damon."

"Um, obviously you did, otherwise you wouldn't be pregnant."

"Not exactly." _More like not at all._

"Wait, you can't sort of cheat on someone and get pregnant. It doesn't work that way Elena, unless you have a really fucked up definition of what constitutes cheating."

_Ok, time to put on the dramatic act._ "Caroline, I was drugged, and then assaulted at a party. That's how I got pregnant." _Actually I got pregnant by a dead guy, whose sperm was magically brought back to life by a witch. Yeah, that's more believable._

Caroline took in a quick breath with the shock. She raised her hand to cover her mouth. "Oh Elena, that's awful. Are you ok? I mean, I know you're not _ok,_ but did he hurt you?"

_Not unless you count mind blowing sex as being hurt._ "No, I don't really remember it. He slipped something in my drink. All I really remember is waking up with my clothes torn. Then a few months later, I found out I was pregnant."

"That's awful! Do you know who did it? I'm sure Damon must have lost his mind."

_Well, that part is true. _"He did. Of course, when he found him, he killed him."

Caroline let out a breath. "For once, I actually agree with him. That bastard deserved it after what he did to you." Bonnie knew what really happened, but she gave a sad look, as if she too were saddened by what happened.

Caroline gave Elena a solemn look. "So, what are you going to do?"

Confused, Elena replied, "What do you mean? I'm going to have it."

Carefully, Caroline said, "You're not going to keep it are you?"

_Of course, I'm going to keep it! It's Damon's baby._ "Why wouldn't I keep it? It's my baby."

"Well, because it would be a constant reminder of what happened to you. I think that would be hard."

_If you only knew the half of it._ "Caroline, I know it sounds strange to want to keep it, but it might be my only chance to have a child of my own. It's not the baby's fault this all happened. Damon agreed to raise it with me."

Caroline blinked at Elena like a deer caught in headlights. "You're going to let Damon be the baby's father? I love you Elena, but are you out of your mind?"

Elena's hormones were causing her anger to rise the more Caroline ran Damon into the ground. She'd had just about enough. "Just stop, Caroline. Stop trying to get me to hate Damon because it's not going to work. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It's my life."

Caroline said, "But…"

Bonnie piped up, giving her a firm look. "Drop it, Caroline." Caroline gave her a tight smile and everyone relaxed.

Elena pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone about this. I'd like to keep it from Klaus as long as possible. The last thing I need is for him to cause us problems."

"Don't worry about me. I won't say anything. But I'm planning your baby shower."

Elena started laughing as her cell phone rang. Damon's name popped up on the caller ID. She answered, "Hey."

Damon responded with his typical sarcasm. "It's shift change with the Elena protection program. I'm at your house. Where are you?"

"I stopped by the Grille to grab a bite to eat. You're always worried about me eating, right?" She could hear in his voice that her attempt to lessen his anger didn't work.

"Elena..."

"I know, I know, but I'm with Bonnie and Caroline. I'm ok really."

"Caroline? What's she doing there?"

"She's in town for the weekend. I just finished telling Caroline everything."

Damon's voice was dripping with irritation. "What do you mean _everything_?"

Elena looked out of the corner of her eye at Caroline, knowing full well she could hear their conversation. "I told her about what happened at the party."

"Oh! So what did she have to say?"

"I'll tell you about it later. I'm leaving soon."

"Be careful. Make sure they walk you out."

"I will. I promise."

On the way home, Elena heard the pinging sound of her gas gauge, indicating her tank was on empty. She could probably make it home, but she'd have to get gas at some point. And now was as good a time as any. She pulled up to the pump, slid her card through the reader, and began pumping. She had been engrossed with the TV monitor at the pump so, when she turned to place the pump handle back in it's holder, she was startled to see Rebekah standing next to her.

Rebekah gave her a fake smile of pleasantry. "Hello, Elena."

Elena was panicked at first, but she managed to swallow her fear. "What do you want Rebekah? Are you following me?"

"I don't want anything. I'm just here getting gas like you."

Elena grabbed the sides of the hoodie she had on and wrapped them closer around her, crossing her arms in front of her. She started to open the door of her SUV to get in, when Rebekah said, "You know I would think Damon would be pumping your gas with you in your delicate condition. He's so over protective."

Elena turned sharply. "_Whhaat?_ I don't know what you're talking about."

Rebekah laughed. "Come on, really? Don't worry. I'm sure Nik will be thrilled to hear his doppleganger bitch is about to continue the bloodline. Personally, I'm rather annoyed. It's just another excuse for everyone to fawn all over you. Pathetic really."

Elena gave her a dirty look, backing her way into the truck. She started the engine and drove away, keeping an eye on Rebekah in her rearview mirror. _This is not good. Damon is going to be pissed._


	12. Chapter 12

Elena was still shaking from her run in with Rebekah, when she pulled into her driveway. She took a few deep breaths to settle herself, before going in to tell Damon the news. Going to the Grillle turned out to be a mistake just like he had said. _Why does he always have to be right?_ It was inevitable that word would get back to the Originals, but Elena had hoped to keep it from them a while longer. She was enjoying the semi-peacefulness of a life without Klaus trying to drain her, or Rebekah trying to kill her. Rebekah knowing about the baby just stirred trouble up all over again. Elena sighed deeply. "I guess I'd better go in and break the news to Damon."

When she walked in the door, Damon was sitting on the couch, battling with Jeremy in a zombie killing game on their Xbox 360. From the sounds of it, Jeremy had just decapitated a group of '_walkers_' with Damon's assistance, prompting both men to cheer. Damon actually gave Jeremy a _'nice job baby Gilbert'_ comment. Elena had to smile at the sight of her brother and Damon actually getting along like normal people. Too bad she was about to ruin Damon's good mood. In a weird way, Jeremy hated Damon, but at the same time, he respected him like a brother, a brother who would kick his ass if he got out of line. _And Damon doesn't think he'll be a good father._

"Hey, you two."

Both guys gave her a brief glance before returning to the game. Almost in unison, they said, "Hey."

Elena thought they looked cute and decided to tease them. She set down her purse and removed her coat. "Sharpening your skills for the zombie apocalypse I see."

Damon, never missing an opportunity to be snarky, replied, "Well, we _are_ in Mystic Falls where _'nothing bad ever happens.'_ Just trying to stay on our toes for the next big bad."

Elena smirked. "Yes, we seem to be a magnet for all things evil. Though I think I'd like to pass on the zombie thing." Hesitantly, she said, "Speaking of evil, I kind of...had a run in with Rebekah." Damon immediately stopped playing and gave her a sharp, worried look. He tossed the remote down and walked over to Elena.

Jeremy had been too engrossed in the game to catch what Elena had said and was annoyed when Damon suddenly quit their game. "Hey, you can't just leave me hanging when I'm surrounded by zombies. Dick, not cool."

Damon gave him an irritated look, "Yeah, well, a real life apocalypse trumps a fake one any day." He turned back to Elena, crossing his arms over his chest. "What happened?"

"Um, well, you know I went to the Grille with Bonnie and we ran into Caroline. Caroline was bouncing all over the place with excitement about being home and making plans for us to hang out."

He nodded, rotating his hand in a motion meant to move things along. "Yeah, forget about Barbie. What about Rebekah?"

"I'm getting to that. Anyway, Caroline sat right next to me in the booth. She noticed the heartbeat but couldn't figure out what it was at first."

"And so you told her."

"Yeah, I...I told her the story we came up with. Rebekah must have heard us talking because, when I stopped for gas on the way home, she mentioned it."

Damon's eyebrows were furrowed in concern. "What did she say to you?"

"I'd just finished pumping gas and, when I turned around, she was there. She said something about me being in a delicate condition. I tried to deny it, but she said she knew and that Klaus would be thrilled. Then I just got in the car and drove straight here. If I'd known she was at the Grille, I would've waited to tell Caroline later. But none of us saw her anywhere."

Damon needed to be certain about what Rebekah knew. "You only told Caroline the story we came up with right? You didn't tell her _anything_ else?"

"No, I...I just told her what we agreed on."

"What about Bonnie? Did you and Bonnie discuss it before she got there, or anywhere else those hybrids could've overheard you?"

Elena sounded less than convincing. "I don't think so."

"Think Elena. You need to be sure," Damon said as his voice rose in frustration.

She racked her brain, trying to recall every conversation she and Bonnie had had about the baby. "No, I'm sure. We only talked about him in private, never in public."

The tension in Damon's shoulders visibly relaxed. It wasn't until then he realized Elena was shaking. He closed the gap between them, placing both of his hands on her arms. He began rubbing them gently to calm her. His deep blue eyes looked at her lovingly. "It's ok Elena. It doesn't sound like Rebekah knows much. We knew they'd find out eventually."

Elena lowered her head and pouted. "Yeah, but I was hoping not for at least another month."

He looked down at her stomach. He said, "I don't think that was going to happen anyway. His heartbeat keeps getting stronger. You said yourself that Barbie could hear it."

She looked down in defeat. "I know."

"So, what did Barbie have to say about it? I'm sure she had _something _to say. Did she buy the story?"

Elena raised her eyes back to meet his. "She did, and she was livid. You'll be happy to know for once she agreed with you about killing the guy."

He pulled his head back slightly in surprise. "That's a first. Maybe there's hope for her yet."

"Don't count on it because she was appauled that I was going to have you help me raise it."

He scoffed. "Of course she was."

They'd both forgotten Jeremy was still there until he spoke. "So, you're sticking to the plan? You're still moving in with him?"

Damon replied sarcastically, "Of course she is. It's important now more than before. As soon as it gets back to Klaus that she's pregnant, he'll be hovering all over Elena. And we still have Rebekah to worry about. Not to mention word spreads like wild fire around this town. The Original pain in the asses aren't the only ones she needs protection from."

Jeremy looked at him curiously. "Who else would care that Elena is pregnant? I mean, as long as no one knows a vampire is the father, she should be fine, right?"

Damon paced, running his hand along the back of his neck. Finally, he rested his hand on his shoulder, attempting to need the tension away. He explained. "No, we don't know that for sure. The council has been unstable since Ric spilled about the town's vampire problems. We don't know if he told them about Elena being a doppelganger. Those members come from a long line of supernatural haters. Outside of a few members wanting to lynch all vampires, they've been a little too willing to allow me to continue meeting with them, to see if we can come to a compromise. I don't trust what they're up to. I'm not willing to risk Elena's safety." He stopped pacing when he was in front of Elena. "Do you have everything packed for tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I just have to put some last minute stuff in a box."

"Good. I took care of the deed to the boarding house, so you'll have to invite me in again."

Jeremy asked, "How did you manage that? I thought when she died, it voided the spell."

"It did, but Bonnie said if I had Elena sign a new deed, and it was filed in place of the old one, it should work. I took it to the clerk this afternoon. At first, she refused to file it because nothing had changed. _But_ with a little compulsion…," he smiled.

Elena looked at Jeremy, feeling guilty about leaving. "Are you sure you're going to be ok here? You can move in with us you know. There are plenty of rooms."

Jeremy looked at her but pointed at Damon. He said, "Move in with him and listen to the two of you go at it like you have the last 2 weeks? I think I'd rather take my chances with Klaus harassing me."

Damon taunted, "Yeah, well, I haven't been thrilled with you being around either. I'm getting tired of being quiet."

Jeremy looked at Damon in disbelief. "You call that quiet?"

Damon teased, "You should hear us when we're not quiet."

Elena interjected immediately before things could go any further. "Ok, ok, enough. I get it." She caught the smirk both guys gave each other out of the corner of her eye. They'd been trying to get a rise out of her to make her feel less guilty about leaving. _Hmmm, pretty slick you two._

The next day, they got a later start than they'd planned, since Elena's stomach decided to act up. Her morning sickness had been intermittent lately. This was just one of those days. Fortunately, it took them only a few hours to move her things over. She was leaving most of her bedroom furniture with a few exceptions. She brought over a cedar chest that belonged to her parents, her computer desk and chair and an antique rocker she wanted to use after the baby was born. There was already plenty of furniture at the boarding house. It wasn't necessary to move anything else. If she thought of anything she needed, they could always get it later. Damon's room had enough closet space anyway for 3 people, which worked in her favor, since the majority of what she had to bring over consisted of clothes and shoes. Damon lugged in the heavier items like her books, computer, furniture, and storage containers, filled with who knows what else. It was incredible how much stuff one girl could have.

He brought the last of her clothing up to the bedroom and placed them on the bed with the others. Elena was sorting through her clothing, deciding where to put everything. "Here is the last of it. And I thought I had a lot of clothes."

With her back still to him, she smiled widely, as she continued folding some shirts. "Well, at least mine aren't all black."

"Hey, it makes it easier to do laundry if everything is the same color."

Elena laughed. "Nice try. You send your shirts out to be cleaned, so I'm not buying that one."

He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He placed a small kiss near her ear. He whispered, "Come on, I happen to look sexy in black."

She turned around in his embrace, resting her hands on his chest. She bit her lip seductively, staring at his chest. She ran her fingers up and down the opening of his shirt. Swaying gently in his embrace, she coyly said, "You look even hotter in nothing at all."

Just before his lips kissed hers, he replied, "Ooo, then maybe I should get _naked_."

She giggled when he kissed her. Her hands from his chest to wrap around his back. Elena's hand brushed up against something soft and fluffy in his back pocket. She parted from his lips, trying to peek around behind him. "What's that in your back pocket?"

Damon had been so engrossed in kissing her that he'd almost forgotten what was there. He pulled out from behind him her teddy bear. His arms had been filled with her clothes, so he improvised and stuffed the bear's leg in his back pocket. Shaking it in front of her in a dancing motion, he said, "I couldn't let you forget your bear. Not when he's seen all the naughty things I've done to you."

She smiled big and took the bear from him. "No, I certainly wouldn't want him spreading rumors about me because I abandoned him. Thank you." She leaned back in and kissed him softly, slowly.

When they parted again, Damon said, "I'm feeling kind of peckish. I'm going to go grab a snack. I take it you've got it under control here?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to finish putting my clothes away."

"Ok, if you need me I'll be downstairs."

Damon had just poured himself a glass of blood and sat down on the couch, when his cell phone rang. He was taken aback by the name on the caller ID. "Stefan?"

"Damon, what the Hell is going on there? Caroline just called me and said Elena had been assaulted."

_Dammit Barbie, why can't you just keep your mouth shut?_ "Relax Stef. Elena is fine."

Stefan's voice raised in disbelief at his brother's laxed attitude. "Caroline said she's pregnant. That's hardly fine, _brother_."

Damon sighed heavily. _Looks like I'm going to have to tell him before he strokes out._ "Stefan, listen to me. She's fine. That's just what we told Barbie because it's not safe for anyone to know the truth."

"What truth? What's going on?"

"Elena wasn't assaulted. Bonnie put a spell on me so Elena could get pregnant."

The silence from Stefan's end was deafening. There was such a long pause that Damon looked at his phone to make sure they hadn't been disconnected. Finally, Stefan spoke. "So, the baby...is _yours_?"

Damon could hear the conflicting emotions in Stefan's voice. He knew he was relieved Elena was fine, but he could tell Stefan was saddened that it hadn't been him. Damon sighed heavily, "Yes."

"Wait, that means it's a boy."

"Yep, that's the point. Bonnie found a way to break the Petrova curse."

Stefan understood finally. "No female, no more dopplegangers. Hmpf."

"Exactly. There's more to it than that, but I'll save that for another time. Let's just say Klaus and his siblings' days are numbered that's why we needed the story. If he finds out the truth..."

Stefan said, "He'll kill them both. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks."

"Damon, if you need anything..."

It was Damon's turn to finish the sentence. "I'll call you."

"Take care brother."

"You too." After they hung up Damon sat there, looking at his phone, deep in thought. He loved Elena more than anything, but he knew Stefan loved her too. It had to sting to hear she was having his child. All the more reason it was good that he'd left town for a while. None of them needed the additional stress of tippy toeing around each other.

A while later, Elena came downstairs to find Damon in the kitchen, pouring a cup of soup to go along with the sandwich he'd just made for her. "I figured by now, you had to be hungry."

She scrunched her nose at the idea of eating. "Not especially." Damon was just about to insist, when Elena cut him off. "But I know, if I don't you'll just keep pestering me until I do."

He smiled in victory. "Yep. Come on, you can bring it in the great room. We can sit by the fire while you eat." Elena carried the cup of soup, while Damon took the sandwich and a glass of milk into the other room. They settled down next to each other on the couch, enjoying the warmth of the fire.

Damon let out a heavy sigh. "Stefan just called. Apparently, Barbie called him with the news."

Elena was in the middle of eating her soup but stopped mid-sip. Her face dropped in guilt over not telling him. "He shouldn't have had to find out that way. What did he say?"

"She'd told him about the assault. So, he wanted to see if you were ok."

"Please tell me you told him the truth."

"Of course I did...sort of."

"What do you mean _sort of_?"

"I told him about the spell just not about killing the Originals. I said I'd fill him in on the rest later."

Elena could see in Damon's eyes that the conversation had been hard. She stroked his hair soothingly. She said, "It's good that he knows the truth. You ok?"

He gave her a less than believable smile, trying to hide his feelings. "I'm fine."

Not entirely convinced, she set her soup down on the coffee table then snuggled closer to him. She pulled back the collar of his shirt to kiss down his neck and along his collar bone. "You know, while I was upstairs I couldn't stop thinking about the image of you naked. I keep having this flushed, aching feeling between my thighs." She squirmed in place, rubbing her thighs together in anticipation. "Do you think you can help me with that?"

In their brief time together, she had gotten more bold in asking for what she wanted. He knew it was due to his influence, which made her attempts at seduction even more enjoyable. A rather devilish smile spread across his face. "Mmm, is that right? So, tell me what I can do the ease that ache," he teased, stroking his hand along her hair.

She purred between the kisses she placed down his chest. She undid each button slowly until his shirt was completely open. When she reached the edge of his pants, she was excited to see how hard he was already. Her hand firmly rubbed over the large bulge in his pants. Then she unzipped them. "First, I was hoping to taste you." She unbottoned his pants. He let out a moan, when her hand slipped inside his jeans, to feel the heat of his incredibly firm erection.

"Then what?"

She slid down on the couch, kissing around his lower abdomen, making his cock flinch at her closeness. "Then I want you to take me from behind, thrusting slowly, so I can feel every inch of you deep inside me." Her tongue licked over the head of his cock, and then she slowly took all of him in her mouth.

He watched her, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of her sucking motions. His head flopped back in pleasure, while his hands ran through her hair. His excitement was heightened by the erotic sounds her mouth made, as she took him in and out. Breathlessly, he said, "That is a..._veeeery_...good idea." He placed both hands on her face. He guided her head up from her position to bring her in for a passionate, tongue filled kiss. He said softly, "Why don't we move over there closer to the fire, where I can give you want you _really _want."

Elena grabbed the throw off of the couch and placed it on the floor in front of the fire place. She removed her top before lying down invitingly. Biting on her finger, she watched him through lust filled eyes remove the rest of his clothes, the ache in her growing more desperate. He laid down next to her, staring in her eyes with intense desire. He brushed her lips with his thumb then ran his fingers lightly down the supple cleavage of her lace covered breasts. He leaned in to kiss her deeply, while his hand inched down her body, slipping inside her yoga pants. The feel of his fingers on her skin were electrifying. They both felt her flush of wetness when his fingers rested on her aching nub. Her kisses became more desperate against his mouth with each stroke. With her hormones bouncing all over the place, she'd lost her tolerance for teasing. When she was ready, she simply couldn't wait. She pulled her lips away begging him. "Please, Damon..._now_. I need to feel you."

He pulled off her pants and panties, tossing them to the side. She rolled on her side to face the fire, waiting for him to join her. The warmth of the fire on her, combined with the feel of his body against her back, intensified her desire. Damon pushed her hips slightly forward, so her knee rested against the floor. He ran his hot cock along her slit, teasing her. He entered in one slow, deep thrust. She screamed, "Oh God!"

He licked the inside of her ear, asking softly, "Does that help your ache?"

Her answer came out in a pleasurable moan. "Mmmm hummm. It feels incredible."

He smirked against her ear, running his hand down her hip, around to the front, to stroke her clit. "Then this should feel even better." Her body arched into him, as she choked back a scream. He sucked along her neck raising the blood in her carotid to the surface. His fangs protruded aching to drink from her. Instead, he simply took pleasure in grazing his fangs along her artery. No matter how much pleasure it would give them both, he refused to drink from her while she was pregnant. His fingers continued to work their magic on her, as he steadily increased his deep penetrations. Her heart was beating faster, and her breath was becoming more ragged. He said, "That's it let go. I want to feel you cum." He felt her clench around his member just before she violently exploded. The tightness of her muscles squeezing against him, combined with the sudden flush of her fluid, sent him over the edge just a few strokes after her orgasm.

After a few moments, they regained their composure. He pulled himself out but continued to hold her in his warm embrace. She moaned softly at his touch, as he ran his fingers lightly down her neck and over her shoulder. Her hair was flipped to the side, allowing him to place soothing kisses along the base of her neck and down her back. She purred, "Mmmm, that feels nice."

"Good, it's supposed to." His warm breath tickled against her ear, causing her to shiver.

She twisted her torso slightly to look at him. Still smiling like a school girl, she asked, "What were you like when you were a little boy?"

He snickered. "What?"

She turned a little more, so she was now on her back looking up at him. "I want to know what you were like, so I know what to expect from him."

He gave her a wry smile. "How do you know he'll be like me? Maybe he'll be like you."

"Well, I already know what I was like. You on the other hand, I have no idea."

He looked at her incredulously. "Really? What do you think? I was trouble of course."

She laughed. "Yeah, I could've guessed that much. Seriously though. What kinds of things did you like to do when you were a kid?"

He repositioned himself on his elbow to rest his head against his hand. He intertwined the fingers of his other hand with hers, resting it against her chest. "You realize things were much different then than now."

Her eyes looked up at his blue ones, the reflection of the fire entrancing her with how it made his eyes dance. "I know, but I like hearing about your human life. You don't talk much about it."

"Because it was a long time ago." She gave him a look he knew meant she wasn't about to let him off the hook. "Fine. I liked playing the piano, reading, riding my horse. Stefan and I used to play war in the woods with these little wooden soldiers. I spent a lot of time cleaning the stables too."

She looked at him confused. "I thought you had handlers for that."

"We did, but I used to get in trouble a lot. Cleaning the stables was supposed to teach me '_discipline_ and _responsibility_.' It backfired because I liked spending time with the horses." She laughed.

"One time Stefan took our father's prize stud out for a ride without his permission, and the horse got away from him. He was terrified of getting in trouble, so I thought I'd create a diversion. I took some gun powder from our father's storage area and lit it out back. Let's just say the explosion was bigger than I expected." Damon laughed at the memory. "It took out half the fence around the stables." Elena opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth in shock. "God, was my father pissed. I had welts on my back for a week."

Elena gave him a horrified look. "Damon, that's awful."

In his usual fashion, he tried to make it sound like it was nothing. "Yeah, well, he was kind of a bastard. At least that time I deserved it." He saw the look of sympathy in her eyes and realized he gave away too much. After a moment, he gave her that seductive smile she loved. He leaned down mere inches from her lips. He said, "So, where were we?" He gave her a quick, sensuous kiss, lightly caressing her lips with his back and forth.

She knew he was trying to change the subject to cover up his pain. She stroked the back of his hair. Softly, she said, "I was just about to tell you how much I love you. And that I'm glad I am here."

He whispered against her lips, "Me too," just before he closed the gap between them.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day Elena continued to put her things away in what was now not just Damon's bedroom but hers too. Damon was making space in the top of the closet handing Elena some of his things he planned on moving to the basement for storage. The containers were neatly organized not in an OCD sort of way but in the typical neat Damon fashion. Elena was having fun looking at everything as he handed it to her, fascinated to see some of the things he'd kept over the years. Since they'd first met she'd gotten to know him on a deeper level beyond his false bravado especially during the time they spent together trying to get Stefan back from Klaus. It was then she'd seen his humanity, it was then she learned to trust him without question and it was then she had fallen in love with him. Despite how well she felt she knew him there was still a whole other part of his life she knew very little about. Damon was never one to just volunteer personal information, only talking about his past when it was relevant to a situation or if she asked him directly. She was curious about the life he'd lived and the things he'd done over the century and a half since he turned before ultimately returning to Mystic Falls. Some of the boxes contained pictures from the places he'd traveled all over the world while others contained random mementos from both stages of his life, human and vampire.

Elena giggled and teased him when she came across a photo of him from the 1980's in a pair of tight black leather pants that left nothing to the imagination. No one could say Damon Salvatore was shy. He wore a black mesh shirt with of course a leather jacket but this was not his signature type leather jacket. The jacket in this photo was a poplar design of the times adorned with chrome buttons, randomly placed zippers and chains. His hair was longer and fluffed out like a rock star and he had on eyeliner that magnified the intensity of his already hypnotizing blue eyes. "Wow! Love the super tight pants. I'll bet you reeled in a lot of girls with those."

Damon walked over to her grabbing the picture from her hand to look at it. He gave her one of his sexiest smirks raising his eyebrows up and down, "Who said I needed the pants for that?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Of course, what was I thinking?"

He took the box out of her hands putting the picture back inside and placed it on the bed with the others. "You know this is going to take us a lot longer if you keep looking thru every box."

She smiled as he went back to pull down the last box. "I can't help it. You're so _mysterious_ I find myself wanting to know more," she said batting her eyes dramatically.

He handed her the box and said, "Then just ask."

Damon rolled his eyes when Elena immediately opened the box not surprised that she couldn't resist seeing what was inside. Her hand pushed the items in the box around searching thru its contents while Damon shook his head and returned to the closet to dust off the shelf before they put her things inside. As she rummaged thru the box she saw the end of a silver chain spilling out from a black silk pouch. She pulled it out placing the box on the bed to free up her other hand, allowing her to untie the pouch. Curious she peeked inside the pouch before pouring its contents out in her hand to reveal a silver pocket watch. It was obviously very old, scratched and tarnished, with a large dent in the center but she could still see the intricate design on its exterior. "Wow this is pretty heavy, must be real silver. Was it yours?"

Damon stepped out of the closet moving closer to her to see what she was referring to. His face fell into a deathly serious expression at the sight of it. Carefully he took the watch out of her hand holding it like it was a fragile egg. Solemnly he said, "Yeah, it was the watch I was wearing the day our father killed us."

Elena's eyes widened in surprise as she looked from the watch to his face seeing the strong emotions the sight of it stirred in him. Not knowing what to say she swallowed the lump in her throat and said, "It's beautiful. I can see why you kept it all these years."

He pushed on the button at the top to open it staring pensively at what was inside. "That's not why I kept it," he said flatly, his eyes never leaving the watch.

Gently she asked, "Then why did you keep it? It seems like such a painful reminder of that night."

"I kept it because it holds the last moment of my humanity." Elena swore she could feel her heartbreak at his emotionally naked answer. Still staring at the watch he continued, "When the bullet hit me it split apart and a fragment hit the watch stopping it, marking the time of my death."

Elena moved closer looking over his shoulder to see the time it stopped. The crystal had a large crack down the center and the hands had stopped at 12:15am. Damon clenched his jaw and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration still looking at the watch but seemingly looking thru it. He hadn't looked at the watch in over 100 years but here it was suddenly staring him in the face...12:15am...again. _First the dream, now the watch. Why? _

Elena wished she hadn't found the watch, feeling guilty about making him relive such a painful memory. She wished she could ease his hurt but all she could say was, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

Snapping out of his thoughts he cut her off, "Don't be. It's not your fault." He closed the watch and tossed it back in the box before putting the lid on it then stacked several boxes on top and collected them to take downstairs.

Elena just stood there watching him concerned about the sudden shift in his demeanor from sorrowful to cold and controlled. She hated it when he flipped the switch and shut himself off. _I'm going to have to work on breaking him of that._

As he was heading out of the room he turned back to say, "I'm going to take these downstairs. It's cleared out now so you can start putting your stuff up there." She just nodded not sure of what else to say.

Damon was just coming up from the basement and was headed back upstairs towards the bedroom when he heard someone at the front door. Before he even heard the knock he flung the door open to reveal Caroline standing there with her hand raised about to rap her knuckles on the door.

Startled she said, "Oh my God Damon you scared me."

He gave her an irritated look as he leaned against the door jam and folded his arms across his chest. "Why? I live here."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, I know. I heard you but I didn't think you were that close to the door. Is Elena home?"

"What do you want Barbie? Haven't you done enough meddling this week?"

"How was I supposed to know you hadn't told Stefan yet?"

"Oh, I don't know maybe it should've occurred to you when Elena told you to keep it quiet."

She gave him a frustrated huff, "Well I didn't think you'd keep it from your own brother but I shouldn't be surprised." He squinted his eyes giving her a sarcastic look. Caroline growled when she tried to enter but was stopped by the barrier spell. "Ugh! I see you had the barrier spell put back up."

"Yep," he said popping the "p" with his lips at the end. He continued to stand there against the door looking at her smugly.

She crossed her arms tapping her foot in annoyance. "Well are you going to get her so I can come in or what?"

"Sorry, she's resting. No visitors. Bye-bye," he said shutting the door in her face against her protests.

Just then Elena came downstairs catching a glimpse of Caroline attempting to stop the door from shutting on her. "Caroline?"

Caroline yelled, "Elena! Elena!" Elena rushed over to the door in time to pull it back open.

She gave Damon a dirty look. "What are you doing? Let her in," she said grabbing Caroline's hand and yanking her inside. "Caroline come in."

Caroline stuck her tongue out at Damon in satisfaction as she walked in and received an equally mocking action in return. Damon moved past them into the great room and poured himself a drink before plopping down resting one arm along the back of the couch and holding his glass in the other hand setting it on the arm rest. Caroline followed Elena further into the foyer as Elena took her coat to hang.

"So Care what's up?"

"Well as you know today is my last day in town so I thought I'd come by and take you shopping to cheer you up."

"Cheer me up? I wasn't aware I was down."

Caroline smiled sadly and batted her eyes at Elena in sympathy looping her arm in Elena's to lead her into the great room where they could sit. "Come on Elena you don't have to pretend to be brave about what happened."

Elena looked over at Damon who raised his eyebrow at her silently answering her unspoken question. She snapped to attention attempting to cover her mistake. "Oh um I try not to think about that part."

"Well that's got to be a little hard when you're carrying around a constant reminder of that night."

Elena followed Caroline's eyes as they wandered down to her stomach but before she could answer Damon spoke up. "Way to make her 'feel better' blondie. How about you just leave the cheering up to me?"

Caroline shook her head grunting "uh" at him as she turned back to Elena. She grabbed both of Elena's hands holding them in hers, looked straight into her eyes and pleaded. "Elena you're my best friend and I just want to help you thru this difficult time any way I can. And right now I think you need to focus on the positive like preparing for the baby. What better way to do that than shopping for cute baby clothes."

She knew once Caroline got an idea in her head there was no stopping her and frankly it did sound kind of fun. "Ok Care you convinced me. It sounds like fun. I just need to hit the bathroom first. I swear I have to pee like every half hour."

Damon exhaled loudly, put his glass down on the coffee table and stood up to leave. He said, "While you're doing that I'll grab a snack before we leave."

Elena said, "Damon you're not going. This is girl time."

"Um have you forgotten about your little hybrid tails? You're not going alone."

"I won't be alone. Caroline will be with me if I need anything so you don't have to worry I'll still have a vampire bodyguard." They stared at each as if communicating with their eyes. Elena placed her hand on his chest giving him one of her pleading looks that he could rarely resist.

Finally Damon sighed unhappily giving in. Averting his eyes from hers he said, "Fine, go."

She looked up at him smiling sweetly then gave him a soft kiss that soothed his mood. "I'll be careful. I promise."

"Elena he said fine, now hurry up and pee already so we can go. I have to head back to my dorm around 5:00pm for an early class tomorrow and I want to make sure we have time to stop for lunch."

"Is Bonnie meeting us?"

"No, she had to go to some family function with her dad. It'll just be us."

"Ok, just give me a minute. I'll be right back."

They both watched her leave the room and when Caroline knew she was out of earshot she asked, "So what's the deal with these hybrids following her?"

"Klaus is off on some werewolf scouting adventure and left his hybrids to stalk Elena in his absence."

"But Elena said Klaus doesn't know she's pregnant yet so why would he have them follow her?"

Damon furrowed his eyebrows at her as if she were a moron. "Hello, because it's Klaus! Does he need a reason? He probably doesn't want his blood bag to go M.I.A. while he's gone."

She seemed to ponder this for a moment. "I know he's evil and all but do you really think he'd harm the baby? I mean it seems like he'd be all for it."

"We have no idea what Klaus will or won't do but either way I'm not leaving Elena out there unprotected giving him a chance for us to find out."

Caroline squinted her eyes studying him then she asked, "Are you sure you're ready for this fatherhood thing? Because Elena and her baby need someone stable, someone who will respect and cherish them not some impulsive vampire who lashes out whenever he's upset."

Damon stepped closer to her in a challenging stance, eyes squinted clearly showing how peeved he was at her insinuation. "Right, you mean someone like Stefan."

Caroline crossed her arms standing taller indicating she wasn't going to back down from her statement. "Maybe."

"Yeah because Stefan is so stable that he abandons her every time his guilt gets too hard for him to handle. Need I remind you that he let her drown all because he couldn't handle her being mad at him?"

Caroline stammered, "Well he...he was respecting her choice. It was romantic."

Mockingly he replied, "It wasn't _romantic_ it was asinine. He got lucky she had vampire blood in her and didn't turn. And in case you haven't noticed Elena doesn't always make stellar choices."

Caroline gave him a taunting smirk. "Clearly, she chose you."

Damon's voice rose along with his anger. He was so sick of everyone thinking she'd chosen wrong by being with him. "That's right she chose me because she needs someone who will keep her and the baby safe, who challenges her when she's acting like an idiot not someone who lets her do whatever she wants because he's too afraid of being the bad guy." For a fleeting moment the look on her face made Damon think his words actually got thru to her but Elena entered before Caroline could respond.

Elena looked between the two of them aware of the thick tension in the room. She asked, "Guys, what's going on?"

Caroline shifted gears returning to her usual bubbly self. "Nothing we were just talking about keeping the baby safe. Are you ready to go?"

"Um yeah let's go." She turned to Damon who was still shooting daggers with his eyes at Caroline and waved goodbye. "I'll see you later."

As she was walking out of the room he called out, "Be..."

From the hallway she finished his line, "Careful, I know. I will."

They got in the car and Elena asked, "So what were you and Damon really fighting about?"

Caroline waved her hand in the air, "Oh you know the usual, him being a controlling ass."

Elena whined, "Caroline!"

"Ok, ok I know but I couldn't help myself. He just set me off because he was mad that I told Stefan."

"Actually Caroline I'm not very happy about that either. I told you not to tell anyone and the first thing you did was call Stefan."

Caroline let out a surprised "uh" sound. "I didn't call Stefan immediately. I..." She looked at Elena sheepishly, "Waited a few hours."

Elena looked down at her hands shaking her head with regret. She said, "He shouldn't have had to find out that way. He's only been gone a few months, none of us have even had a chance to readjust and heal. We were waiting to tell him once a little more time passed because we knew it would hurt him. Despite what you think of Damon he does love Stefan."

Caroline shrank in her seat feeling as big as an ant that she upset her best friend. "Elena I'm so sorry. I really just thought he knew and I wanted to see how he was doing."

"I know Caroline but that doesn't mean I'm not mad about it." Caroline firmed her lips giving her a tight nod of understanding before changing the subject. "Anyway, where should we head first?"

"You're the driver."

After they left Damon walked over to the bar and poured himself another drink. He put his hand in his pocket pulling out the pocket watch from earlier, looking at it in his hand recalling the night it stopped. He walked over to the couch, sat down and placed his drink on the coffee table. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees opening the watch to study the time again. That time 12:15am just kept getting put in his path. In deep thought about what it all meant he found himself mindlessly clicking the button of the watch to open and close it over and over. After a few moments of staring off into space he was pulled out of his daze by the sound coming down the hall from the grandfather clock.

The pinging tune coming from it wasn't the sound it made when it rang on the hour but rather the specific melody of quarter past the hour. Damon stopped mid-click of opening the watch for the umpteenth time and turned his head to listen intently to the melody. A sudden flash of memory ran across his mind of the night he killed his nephew Zach after he had assisted Stefan in locking him in the cellar back when he first arrived in town. He remembered grabbing him from behind snapping his neck with the sound of that tune in the background. He went to the hallway to see the time on the clock…12:15pm. It may be afternoon this time he heard that sound but it was definitely am the night he snapped Zach's neck. It finally hit him, it was so obvious now. _Mother, me, Zach, 12:15am…all point to one thing_.

Caroline and Elena stopped to shop at one of the local boutiques near the edge of town called "That's My Baby" that carried everything infant related from the basic necessities like bottles and diapers to larger items like cribs and strollers. Caroline's eyes widened with excitement at all the baby stuff as soon as they walked thru the door. She squealed, "Ooooh look at all this stuff! It's so adorable. We are going to have so much fun."

Elena looked around feeling a little overwhelmed. She was only 19 years old with no mother to guide her, to tell her what she needed and what she didn't, to show her how to take care of the baby and just give her basic support. Sure she'd babysat plenty of times but it was different knowing that she would be responsible for a living, breathing infant. She had Damon of course but it wasn't like he had had experience with babies. They were both charting new territory together which could be a beautiful adventure but also a terrifying ride especially with the additional obstacles they were facing because of the baby's significance to the Original problem. She felt light headed as a queasy feeling came over her.

Caroline noticed how pale her face suddenly got. "Elena, are you ok?"

Elena took a deep breath letting it out slowly trying to regain control. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I just got a little overwhelmed by all of this. I know this is really happening but seeing all this stuff makes me realize how unprepared I really am. I guess I just wish my mom was here to tell me what to do."

Caroline could only imagine how difficult this was for Elena reminding her how much she really did need her mom. She gave her a sympathetic look putting her arm around Elena for support. "I know how much you miss her. I'm so sorry she's not here but we'll all be here to help you figure it out and you can borrow my mom anytime you want."

A much needed laugh escaped Elena's lips, "Thanks Care. You always know how to cheer me up."

"That's what friends are for. Now let's go look at some cute pink dresses." Caroline lead them over to the girl clothes immediately setting her eyes on a fluffy pink dress with lacey frills along the seam and sleeves. She picked it up laying it against her chest so the front faced Elena. She squealed again, "OMG Elena! Look how sweet this is. Couldn't you just picture her with a little pink headband and black paten leather shoes?"

_Yeah if he was a girl maybe. This is going to be harder than I thought. _"Yeah, I'm sure _she'll _look…adorable," she said unconvincingly.

Of course Caroline didn't notice, she was too excited about tiny dress. "Ok, I'm buying this for you, no argument. I wonder what size I should get her?" Her eyes caught sight of another pink dress she squealed over. "Oh, what about this one? And this one over here?"

Elena just stood there watching, shaking her head in amusement as Caroline went crazy over all the tiny girl clothes. This went on for a couple of hours until Elena was exhausted and actually hungry. She managed to drag Caroline away from the store only when she told her how hungry she was getting.

They thought since they were at the edge of town they'd eat somewhere other than the Grille. The little Italian bistro they chose was within walking distance of the shop and would offer a nice change of pace, giving them a different selection of entrées to choose from. Besides the Grille was everyone's favorite hangout including Rebekah's and right now Elena just didn't feel like dealing with her again after the other day's run in. Having these hybrids following her constantly was enough to make her self-conscious and nervous about her actions and what she might accidentally say. As expected today's hybrid tail picked up following her and Caroline the second they exited the long, hidden driveway from the boarding house to the public street. For a change and to her relief, this hybrid didn't follow her throughout the store as she had expected when she spotted him trailing their car. She guessed the hybrid probably thought a baby store was too boring of a place for her to get into trouble so he decided to stay in the car. However, once they left he was back on their trail and now sitting 2 tables away as if he thought he was being inconspicuous.

The waitress had taken their order and dropped off their drinks when Elena, frustrated with being followed, said, "UH! I'm so sick of these hybrids. What does he think is going to happen anyway? I'm not just going to pick up and leave my friends and family…," she snapped her fingers, "like that."

Caroline could tell her friend was tired and irritable but hoped once she had something to eat she'd feel better. In the mean time she decided to take control of the situation hoping to get Elena to relax a little. She turned around looking towards the hybrid's table, waving to get his attention and said as loud as she could, "Hello, you're not fooling anyone. We know you're following us and it's upsetting my friend, you know the person most valuable to Klaus. You may be sired to him so you have to do what he says but that doesn't mean you have to be up her ass the whole time. The least you could do is move yourself over there," she said pointing across the room.

Caroline's bluntness shocked the hybrid who decided it was better to move across the room than deal with the wrath of the angry blonde vampire that Klaus just so happened to be infatuated with. She watched him get up and said in a fake sweet tone, "Thanks!" Turning to Elena whose mouth was hanging open in shock, she said, "See all better."

Elena laughed, "Oh my God Caroline I can't believe you did that." "Yeah, well he was being rude."

Elena chided, "And Damon was worried I'd be unprotected without him. Not with Caroline Forbes around."

Caroline smiled at first then her expression turned serious. "Speaking of Damon, don't you think he's being kind of controlling?"

Elena sighed, _here we go again_. "He's not controlling, he's just worried about my safety like he always has been. The only difference is now there's more to worry about especially after what happened."_ Yeah, use the assault story. That should get her to stop. _

But it didn't. Instead she asked, "Do you really think it's a good idea he helps you raise the baby? He's not exactly the most loving example for a child. I mean he'll probably end up teaching her how to be devious and throw a fit when she doesn't get her way."

Elena stared blankly at Caroline floored by her relentlessness in talking bad about Damon. He had every right to raise their baby. Even if Caroline didn't know the truth he was the man she loved. Why couldn't she understand that? Elena's hormones were in a constant state of fluctuation and she'd had enough of Caroline's mouth. She slammed her napkin down and lost it, "Just take me home."

Caroline looked confused, "Why? We're not done eating yet."

"I'm done. You think you know Damon so well but you don't know him at all. Yes, he treated you poorly when he first came to town but he had his humanity switch turned off. He's changed so much since then but you just don't want to see it. No one notices when he does something good because he doesn't go around pointing it out to get praise. He has saved all of you countless times and not once has anyone acknowledged it."

Caroline reached over touching Elena's hand attempting to calm her. "Woah Elena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"In case you haven't realized I'm capable of making my own decisions based on my own judgment."

Caroline raised her hands up in defense not wanting to upset her further. "Really Elena I'm sorry. I'll be quite about it. Can we please just finish our lunch and then I'll take you home?"

Elena's chest was still heaving with anger but she managed to calm herself. "Fine, let's talk about something else."

Damon was upstairs when he heard the front door open indicating Elena was finally home. He could feel a sense of relief wash over him as he came down the stairs to see she was ok, watching her set her shopping bags down on the couch in the great room. Looking at the display of bags he teased, "Wow what did you and Barbie do clean the place out?"

Elena smiled slightly, exhausted from the long afternoon. "I swear it seems like it. You know how insistent Caroline can be. She just kept picking stuff out like this," she said as she reached into a bag and pulled out the pink dress with the lace frill.

Damon laughed shaking his head, "Adorable but pink is not his color. Sorry, gotta draw the line somewhere."

"Oh wait until you see the others."

Picking up one of the bags to take a peek at its contents he asked, "What are you going to do with all this pink stuff? Just for the record I'm not wearing it either."

She smacked him playfully on the arm. "What do you think I'm going to do? I'm going to take it back tomorrow after Caroline leaves. I am going to keep the onesie's though because they're neutral."

He scrunched his face in a confused look. "What exactly is a onesie?"

Elena pulled out a cotton one piece item with short sleeves and snaps at the groin area and handed it to him before plopping herself down on the couch in exhaustion. "This is a onesie. It's a lot easier to change their diaper in these." Damon flipped it around looking at it front and back before tossing it on top of the bags.

Elena was lying on the couch with her legs up by the time Damon walked over to the couch to sit next to her, picking her legs up and placing them on his lap. Her head was resting on the arm of the couch and he started rubbing her legs just above the knee in a soothing manner. "You look pretty tired."

She sighed, "I am. It seems like we walked for hours. Besides you know how exhausting talking to Caroline can be." He just nodded as he continued to massage her legs. She asked, "So what did you do while I was gone?"

"Oh I spent time working on a puzzle."

She wasn't sure if he meant like a riddle or an actual puzzle you put together. She asked, "Puzzle, what puzzle?"

"Why 12:15am keeps suddenly popping up."

She shook her head having no clue what he was referring to. "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

He explained, "The night we found out you were pregnant I had this dream about when my mother died." She raised her head off of the couch surprised that he mentioned his mother. His mother wasn't something he talked about so this got her attention causing her to listen more intently as he spoke. "I hadn't thought about it in over a century but in the dream I vividly remember the time on the clock. The clock in her room and the pocket watch stopped at the same time. It was nagging at me until I heard the hall clock chime. I remember it chiming in the background the night I killed Zach. It was the same time as the others."

Realization dawning on her, she asked, "Wait so your mother, you and Zach all died at the exact same time?"

He nodded, "Mmm hmm."

"What do you think that means?" He answered simply, "That's when the Salvatore line ended."


	14. Chapter 14

It was around 8:30am when Elena finished showering. She fixed her hair, applied her make-up and was getting dressed for class like she did just about every weekday. Damon was just stirring awake not because he hadn't heard her getting ready but because he'd been up so late preparing for his meeting this morning with a few of the council members. Today was going to be a challenging day and he needed to be as sharp as possible. In addition to his meeting with the council, he had some trepidation about Elena's appointment later in the day with Meredith for her ultrasound that prevented him from falling asleep earlier. This would be the first time he actually saw his son even if only on a screen. His misgivings about Elena's health and their son's survival and future weighed heavily on his heart. This was the most significant thing he'd done in his very long life.

Damon sat up swinging his legs off the side of the bed pausing a moment to shake the sleep off before heading for the shower. Elena was standing in the enormous walk in closet with the door open trying to decide what shirt to wear. He paused at the sight. In the bottom corner of the closet sat a 3 foot tall teddy bear courtesy of one Klaus Mikaelson. Every morning for the past 3 weeks he'd woken up to the sight of that thing staring him in the face. The enormous bear had been left on the doorstep of the boarding house, most likely by one of his hybrids, one day while they were away with a note attached. The note read, 'Congratulations on such an auspicious occasion! Love Klaus.' Obviously word had reached him that Elena was expecting and the stuffed bear was his way of saying he couldn't be happier. Always suspicious of Klaus' motives, Damon made sure to examine the stuffed animal carefully for any signs of incendiary or recording devices just in case his 'gift' was more than just a reminder of the significance the baby was to his future supply of hybrids. His choice of wording 'auspicious' was fitting, too bad for Klaus it wasn't in his favor. Just to be safe they'd tossed the bear in the closet hindering any attempts to spy on them. Damon found the sight of it staring him in the face kind of creepy. As he stood up he said to Elena, "That's it I'm moving that bear."

She laughed, "Fine with me. You're the one who put it there." She walked over to give him a kiss placing her hands on his chest as he pulled her closer to him by her waist. "Hey you'll be back in time from the meeting to go with me won't you?"

Pretending to be totally oblivious to what she was talking about he put on his most sincerely innocent look and said, "Go with you where?"

She smiled at his feigned attempt at ignorance. "Ha ha very funny." He continued his charade by keeping his face as unemotional as possible. A look of recognition and concern came across Elena's face. "Wait you're serious? You have no idea what I'm talking about?"

He shook his head still playing along. "Nope, no idea."

"The appointment with Meredith at 2:00pm. She's doing an ultrasound remember?"

Damon exaggerated his response like the ultrasound was no big deal to him. "Pfst oh yeah that. I can't make it. I promised Jeremy I'd show him how to make vervain grenades." Elena's eyes widened and she took in a gasp of air to protest but before she could get a single word out Damon pulled her to him pressing his lips against hers in a firm kiss. Against her lips he said, "I'm kidding." He could feel her body untense, saying between kisses, "I *_kiss_* wouldn't *_kiss_* miss *_kiss_* it *_kiss_*."

She smiled pulling her lips away, "That wasn't funny." She playfully smacked his arm and pulled away, turning to leave his embrace. She barely made it a step before he pulled her back tight against him smiling.

"Come on it was kind of funny."

Her eyes looked down at his lips. "No, that was mean."

He pouted his lower lip out silently begging for her forgiveness, swaying her slightly in his embrace. "Mmmm," he kissed her again softly. He said in his sexy voice, "I'm _sure_ I can find a way to make it up to you." He started placing small warm kisses along her jaw down her neck as she bent her head back with the pleasure.

She tried to gather her resolve but was having difficulty doing so. "I can't. I'll be late for class."

He continued kissing her, working his way back up to her ear he whispered, "So you can just sneak in." He licked the inside of her ear sensually. "No one will even notice."

She could feel his excitement pressed against her pelvis and though she definitely wanted him as much as he wanted her she took this opportunity to pay him back for teasing her earlier. She softly said, "Sorry, gotta go." Then she pulled out of his grasp and walked towards the door to leave turning to blow him a kiss. Teasingly she said, "I'll see you later then."

He growled, "Mmmm you know you'll give in later."

She teased, "Maybe, maybe not," then she left.

He sighed turning his head to look at the open closet and noticed the bear staring at him with that dumb bear grin. He let out a huge aggrevated moan picking the bear up to look at it. "Where to put you? The fireplace sounds like a good idea." He started walking towards the fireplace, put the bear inside and struck a match. Before he tossed the match in he saw that stupid bear smile and changed his mind about torching it. "Nah, it will piss Klaus off more when he finds out he bought something for the very kid that's going to end his life." That brought a huge smile to his face as he took the bear out of the fireplace. He walked out of the bedroom with it under his arm to the room across the hall and tossed the bear inside." As he went to leave, his hand already on the door knob, he turned back around to glance about the room. "Hmmmm," he tilted his head curiously then he shut the door behind him.

The meeting was held at its usual location, the Lockwood estate. The remaining council members had been divided since Pastor Young initiated the vampire round up a few months ago resulting in a mysterious explosion that killed several of their members. The mass death of so many people in a town as small as Mystic Falls was devastating not only to the community but to the council itself. Some of the more conservative members wanted to continue where Pastor Young left off eradicating the vampires from their town while others were fearful of future retribution. Their fears were magnified by the death of an experienced hunter at the hands of a group of vampires. This prompted some of the more open minded members to look at other alternatives to fighting the vampires. At Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes' urgent suggestion they agreed to meet with Damon in an attempt to avoid more blood shed. However, their willingness to meet with a vampire, even one who had effectively lead the council, was considered blasphemous by the other members who labled them traitors.

Damon walked into the great room of the Lockwood mansion to six sets of eyes boring into him. He knew this wasn't going to be easy but he had to try. At least the mayor and sheriff were there to support him. He nodded to each of the members taking a seat across from them. "Thank you all for coming. I know this is a rather unconventional meeting for you but I think we all agree something needs to be done to prevent any more unnecessary deaths. As you know I've been involved with the council since not long after I arrived. I've lived amongst you without incident,..." he thought, _sort of._ "contributing financially to the community and have worked to control any rogue vampires who have tried to cause problems. Most of us never wanted this kind of life, we didn't choose to be vampires but it happened to us anyway. There are others like myself who just want to live here in peace. This has always been my home and I'd like to come to some agreement so we can co-exist."

One of the members, Chris Adams, a man in his mid-fifties, challenged, "Alaric Saltzman filled us in on the "activities" that have gone on behind our backs, most of which are quite disturbing. How can you justify these incidents?"

Damon explained, "Alaric Saltzman was my best friend and that wouldn't have happened unless he felt comfortable enough to trust me. He unfortunately was manipulated by vengeful person to the point of insanity which as you know drove him to kill some of the council members. The stories he told you were from a disturbed man's perspective. _I'm sorry to throw you under the bus here Ric._ The real Alaric Saltzman understood there were good and bad vampires just like there are in ordinary people. He understood that we just wanted to live like anyone else but that there are others with evil intentions that needed to be dealt with. I was there when Ric died and I had the chance to see a glimmer of my old friend. Yes, there have been some things that have happened that I can understand would cause you concern but they weren't done without just cause. Unfortunately there have been some human casualties along the way, Ric was one of those casualties."

Founding family member Shelley Lang spoke up irrate, "Human casualties are the very reason we want to rid this town of vampires. It was their evil that destroyed this town over a century ago. We've all heard the stories passed down from our families. Vampires manipulate us to do what they want thru compulsion. They feed off of us then kill when they're done. They have no soul, they can't be trusted."

Sheriff Forbes tried to neutralize Ms. Lang's hostility. Liz said, "Shelley, please hear him out. I grew up with the same stories as you but I've come to realize that we were wrong."

Shelley fired back, "Sure you'll defend him because you're daughter is one of them!"

Liz began to respond, "You've known me..."

Damon held up his hand to stop Liz. "Liz let me handle this." He looked back at Ms. Lang trying to remain calm. "Ms. Lang, I understand your concern but the information you have about vampires was passed down to you from a long line of fanatical vampire haters. I was here in 1864 when the original founding council rounded up the vampires and killed them. These vampires had been living among them in peace for some time until one out of control vampire caused paranoia to spread. I saw how the vampires were gathered up and burned alive in the town church. There was mass hysteria amongst the towns people and the vampires weren't the only ones to suffer for it. I was one of the human casualties but it wasn't by the hand of a vampire. It was by my own father who was convinced that my brother and I were damned because we believed not all vampires were evil." Shelley stiffened in her chair at the tragic story of a father killing his sons. Damon continued, "I assure you the number of human casualties would be great if another uprising against vampires occurred. Do you want to be responsible for that when it can be avoided?"

Steven Rivers, one of the more elderly founding members, said, "We may appreciate all the financial contributions you've made to this town but it sounds to me like you're trying to bully us Mr. Salvatore."

Damon sighed heavily in frustration, "No Mr. Rivers I'm just giving you the facts. It's up to all of you to decide how you want to proceed. Thank you for your time and I hope you give this serious consideration before you make your final decision."

Mayor Lockwood thanked the members for coming as each rose to leave. When they were gone she said to Damon, "Let's hope they agree. If we can get them on our side we might stand a chance against the others."

Damon picked Elena up at the boarding house for her ultrasound appointment with Meredith. The clinic was attached to the hospital so they arrived thru the main entrance making their way thru the lobby towards the clinic. Meredith greeted them warmly when they walked into the exam room together. "Elena, Damon good to see you. How are things going so far?"

As Elena hopped up on the exam table she said, "Pretty good. The nausea is finally subsiding."

Damon chided, "Yeah she can finally watch me drink a glass of blood without running to the bathroom."

She playfully swatted at him. "I still feel exhausted though. I try to rest but it never seems like enough."

Meredith had placed her stethoscope on Elena's stomach to listen to the heartbeat. She said, "That's normal at this stage. Your body is trying to get used to all the changes it's going thru. Also if you haven't been eating enough you'll have less energy."

Giving Elena an 'I told you so' look, Damon said, "I tried to tell her that but she's pretty stubborn."

Irritated Elena said thru clenched teeth, "I'm not being stubborn. It's just I've a hard time keeping things down."

Meredith suggested, "You can try some warm ginger ale or milk before you eat. It might help. Now let's have you lie back so we can see how your little one is doing."

Elena laid back on the exam table lifting her shirt up to reveal her tiny bulge. Meredith said, "Damon if you want to pull that chair over here you can get a better look once we get him on the screen." Meredith adjusted Elena's pants exposing more of her belly and draped a sheet just below her hip bones to cover her sensitive areas. Meredith put the jell on Elena's stomach warning, "Now it's going to be a little cold at first but it will warm up as I go. This is a more detailed ultrasound than your first one. It takes various ultrasound waves and reflects them back giving us a 3 dimensional look at the fetus."

As Meredith ran the wand slowly over her stomach they all watched the monitor intently. They could see the walls lining the uterus, the umbilical cord and a very detailed image of a tiny baby with a large head and small body. The baby's legs were scrunched up to his chest and his arms were lifted to his face as if covering his eyes with his hands from the light. They were absolutely stunned at the sight. Meredith pointed out what they were seeing. "So as you can see there's his head, the arms and hands, his legs. This type of ultrasound gives us a better view of his progress. His reproductive organs haven't developed yet so that puts him at around 14 weeks."

Seeing his son for the first time on the monitor was overwhelming for Damon. He sat there speechless, his eyes frozen on the monitor. Elena was talking to Meredith, excitedly asking her questions none of which registered in Damon's head. His head was swimming like the time he hallucinated from the werewolf bite. He thought excited and panicked at the same time, _That's my son. I actually have a son!_ Hearing the heartbeat is what convinced him that Elena was actually pregnant but seeing with his own eyes a detailed picture was unfathomable. He had never seen anything like it in his 170 years. _Technology is incredible. _He was brought out of his stupor when Elena touched his arm.

"Damon are you ok?"

His eyes reluctantly left the monitor to look at her, his shock still evident on his face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Meredith said to him, "He's developing nicely. His heartbeat is strong."

Finally Damon smiled broadly, "I know. I can hear it." Elena smiled sweetly at him as she squeezed him arm.

They were both smiling uncontrollably as the exited the clinic looking at the photo print outs from the ultrasound. As they walked thru the lobby they heard an all too familiar voice behind them.

"I hope all is well with our girl."

They looked up, turning in unison to see Klaus there. Damon immediately put himself protectively in front of Elena. Her eyes widened. "Klaus!"

Klaus smiled at them devilishly with his cherry lips glistening. "So I assume she's doing well?" Elena still had the ultrasound photos in her hand. Klaus managed to grab them from her before Damon could stop him. "Let's have a look shall we."

Elena gave Damon a panicked look. Damon shook his head slightly indicating it was alright. Meredith had said the baby's sex organs hadn't yet developed so there was no way Klaus would know the baby was really a boy.

Klaus scanned over the photos with sheer delight in his eyes. He teased, "Now isn't she adorable?" Handing the photos back to Elena he said, "I can't tell you how thrilled I was when Rebekah told me you were with child."

Damon glared at him with distrust. He said, "I'm sure you were. Now you'll have a future doppleganger to drain." It obviously wasn't true but they needed to keep up the ruse.

Klaus toyed, "Yes, yes. You know I was really starting to worry about that what with Elena falling for another vampire. But nature found a way." He stepped closer to Damon and said, "So tell me Damon how does it feel to know another man's seed is growing in your lover's womb?"

Damon's blood was about to boil at Klaus' attempted dig. The only thing that kept him from snapping and attacking Klaus was the knowledge that none of it was true. _Smug bastard. Just wait 'til you see how wrong you are. _Damon's silence egged Klaus on.

"What a shame you couldn't keep the woman you love safe from a little ol' human. Well then you did get your revenge I hear by torturing the poor boy before you killed him. I would've done the same if it were me."

Finally Damon said, "Is there something you wanted Klaus? Why are you here?"

Klaus clasped his hands in front of him in delight. "Why I've been gone so long I just wanted to check in on my doppleganger and make sure things were going well." He winked at Elena. "I'll be seeing you around. Take care of that bundle. I have a lot riding on her," he said as he started walking away.

Damon and Elena looked at each other seriously. Elena breathed out, "That was close."

Damon said, "Yeah too close."

Later that night, Elena was sitting in bed looking at the ultrasound photos when Damon climbed in next to her. He sat with his back propped up against the pillows putting his around around her as she slid in closer to him. He pulled her close to him so her head rested on his shoulder and looked at the photo she was holding. She asked concerned, "You don't think Klaus knows it's not a girl do you?"

Damon squeezed her shoulder. "No, I don't think he can tell from these pictures. I mean he kind of looks like an alien."

She laughed shoving him playfully. "Stop, he does not."

Damon laughed teasing her some more, "Sure he does. Look at the size of his head. If his dick ends up being that size he'll be a lucky boy."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Of course you would think that. Seriously though, you don't think he knows do you?"

"No, if he knew he wouldn't have been so delighted." Damon kissed the top of her head taking the photo from her and placing it on the night stand next to him. "Now stop worrying and go to sleep."

Elena leaned up to kiss him. When their lips parted she said, "I love you."

His blue eyes sparkled whenever she said that. He replied, "I love you too. Now go to sleep."


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry for the delay but the holiday threw me off. Also I already had this chapter written but was debating about putting something before it. Instead I divided it up and changed it a little. Hope you like it.**

Damon walked into the great room to grab a drink and see how Elena's studying was coming along. Her paper was due by the end of the week so he had left her alone for the last 3 hours to work on it. She was a bit of a perfectionist when it came to writing so she was struggling to finish it on time. It didn't help that her concentration wasn't what it normally would be due to her fluctuating hormones.

Elena was sitting on the couch with her legs folded under her holding a pen in her mouth. She had books and papers spread out all over the coffee table with her laptop stacked on top as she typed away. Damon took one look at the scattered items in front of her and shook his head. Being a person who liked things kept neat he couldn't understand how she kept anything straight in that mess. He poured himself a drink at the bar and said, "Looks like someone dropped a grenade in front of you. No wonder it's taking you so long to finish you can't find anything."

She continued to type intently as she answered over her shoulder. "Not everyone is a compulsive neat freak like you. And I know where everything is that I need thank you very much."

He chuckled to himself as he set the decanter back on the bar and walked over to the couch. She moved over so he could sit next to her. Taking a sip of his drink, he picked up one of the papers she had on the table to see what she was working on. "Need any help?"

"Not unless you know something about textile manufacturing in the late 1900's."

He made a funny face at her tossing the paper back on the table. "Pfst of course I do, it was one of my family's businesses. What do you want to know?"

She stared at him blankly at first then gave him a huge smile. "Was there anything your family didn't do?"

He thought for a moment and gave her one of his usual snarky comments. "Sure, we were never into basket weaving."

She found his answer amusing which caused her to burst out laughing, prompting him to chuckle too. "Thanks but I don't think I could list you as a reference. What would I say? My 170 year old boyfriend gave me the information and he should know because he was there."

"Hey I'm sure somewhere in the library we have documents you could use."

She leaned over the coffee table, saved her document and closed her laptop. "That's ok I'm almost done anyway."

When she began to sit back up a sharp pain on the right side of her abdomen shot thru her. Her breath escaped her suddenly and her hand immediately shot up to hold the spot. Damon set his glass down quickly then turned to touch her arm, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Elena what's wrong?"

She let out a slow breath and blinked her eyes a couple of times as the pain subsided. Delight shown in her eyes and her face lit up as she said, "I'm fine. Here give me your hand." She took his hand and placed it on the spot where the pain was a moment ago. He looked at her confused until he felt a thump against his palm. His face contorted in surprise and his mouth slightly hung open. Elena smiled even bigger at the expression on his face. "Did you feel that?"

"Uh yeah, when did this start?"

"Just a few days ago. I didn't want to say anything unless you were here to feel it."

There was another thump, stronger than the first followed by yet another. Damon teased, "What the Hell is he doing in there dancing?"

She smirked, "I don't know. Maybe he's already practicing his vampire slaying skills."

Damon pulled his hand away suddenly in jest and raised them both up in surrender. "I better back off before he tries to stake me with one of your ribs. He doesn't know whose side I'm on yet."

She smiled and scooted closer to him, taking one of his arms to wrap around her as she leaned her back against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. He fell in line wrapping his other arm around her and positioning his self so his feet rested crossed over each other on the coffee table. She bit her lip as she looked up at him sweetly knowing what she was about to say would make him melt. "Sure he does. You're his father." Elena saw the expression on Damon's face change from his usual sarcastic playfulness to that of an innocent boy.

He said with all seriousness, "Huh, I still can't get used to that word being used towards me."

"That's why I keep saying it so 5 months from now it won't sound so strange."

He pulled her closer to him placing a kiss on top of her head as she closed her eyes. "Yeah, maybe," he said not very convincingly. When she didn't respond he looked down to see her eyes fluttering on the verge of falling asleep. He whispered, "Come on let's get you upstairs, it's more comfortable."

Grabbing his hands to hold his arms around her tighter she turned her head and nuzzled it under his chin. Like a child resistant to sleep she whined, "Noooo, I'm comfortable right here." With a smile on his face he scooted down to get more comfortable resting his cheek against her head and watched her fall asleep. He stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace as he enjoyed the warm, secure feeling of her against him. Then he felt it again, the thump against his hand only this time much softer. He smiled hugely in wonderment at the feeling. He closed his eyes to sleep with that smile still on his face.

The next morning Damon met with the Mayor at the Lockwood mansion regarding the council dilema. It had been nearly 3 weeks since some of the council members had met with Damon to discuss a truce between the town and the vampires. "Damon thanks for coming by," Mayor Lockwood said.

With his usual charm he said, "No problem Carol. This is an important issue. I'm glad to meet about it any time. So have we heard their decision?"

Carol sighed, "Yes, but it's still not definitive. The group you met with is willing to make a tentative truce with some stipulations."

Damon's voice rose with an enthusiastic inflection. "Great. What are the stipulations?"

He could hear the reservation and concern in Carol's voice. "I have no idea what they are. They want to meet with you again to discuss them in person. The problem is anything we agree on is meaningless unless we have the support of the full council."

That's what he was afraid of. All he wanted to do was get this resolved so he would have one less threat to worry about. He needed to focus his full attention on protecting Elena and their son from the Originals. Frustrated he said, "Except the two sides are refusing to talk to each other right?"

Carol's face held the deep concern of not only a mayor with the weight of the town's welfare on her shoulders but also the concern of a mother for her only child. She nodded, "Exactly. I've been trying to meet with the resistant members individually to ask them to be open-minded and give the other members' idea a chance but it hasn't been going well. If we could just get the opposed members to hear the proposal they might change their minds. It's going to take some time before this is settled."

Damon leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together looking at the floor. He sighed heavily, "If we can't get it settled it could get ugly really fast. I know the outliers don't want anything to do with me but let me know if there is anything I can do to help move this along."

As he stood up to leave Carol said, "I will."

She was escorting him to the door and at the last minute she added, "Damon I heard about what happened to Elena…the attack. I'm so sorry. Carrying this baby given what happened must be hard on you both. I hope she is doing alright."

Damon stared at her a moment in silence contemplating his response. _Of course she knows. Caroline tells Tyler, Tyler tells her. _It was inevitable that people would find out. Word spread like wild fire in a town as small as Mystic Falls. Besides Elena was showing enough now that it was obvious she was pregnant. _At least the story is sticking. _He gave her a somber look to make it more believable. "Yeah, it's been hard on her but she's doing ok. Um you don't happen to know if Ric mentioned anything about Elena to the council do you?"

Carol looked at him confused. "Not that I'm aware of but I left the room briefly to call Sheriff Forbes. Why would he mention Elena?"

Damon hadn't been sure if Carol knew about Elena's doppelganger status but her confusion confirmed for him that she had no idea. _Good._ "Well the closest people to her are vampires which makes her a sympathizer and we know how the council hates those. With the baby and all I just want to make sure she's safe."

Carol smiled weakly and nodded. "Of course, I understand. If I hear anything I'll let you know but right now it doesn't seem like they know anything. She's never been mentioned to my knowledge."

"Good. Maybe Ric spared her that at least. Ok well keep me posted."

Damon had just returned from the grocery store and was in the process of putting the items away when he heard Elena enter the foyer. He looked at the clock confused by why she was already home from class and made his way into the hallway to see her hanging her coat on the rack. "Hey, I didn't expect you home so early."

As Elena turned towards him, her face was flushed red, her eyes were squinted and her hairline was wet from sweat. Immediately Damon knew something was wrong. She said, "I left class early, I'm not feeling very well."

He gave her a concerned look as he stepped closer. "What's wrong?"

She wrapped her arms round herself shivering. "I'm freezing and achy."

He raised his hand to feel her forehead. "You've got a fever. You're burning up. Come on let's get you upstairs." She took a few steps to follow him but he could see she was weak from the fever. Damon picked her up and flashed upstairs to their room. He set Elena down on the bed pulling off her shoes and she immediately pulled the blankets up tight around her fully clothed shivering.

"I'm so cold Damon."

He asked, "Where is your thermometer?"

Thru chattering teeth Elena answered, "It's...in the...bathroom cabinet... near my toothbrush." As soon as she said the word 'bathroom' he was already out of the room before she could finish her sentence.

First he made her sit up in bed and pull the covers down so he could get an accurate temperature. Pulling the thermometer out of her mouth he frowned at the reading. "That's not good...102.6 degrees." He looked back down at Elena who had already pulled the blankets back up to her chin the second he removed the thermometer from her mouth. She was shivering uncontrollably but he could see the sweat pouring off of her forehead soaking her hair. He'd seen bad fevers before when he was in the war and was well aware how quickly they could spike to dangerously high degrees. He knew he had to get her fever down so he went back to the bathroom and grabbed a wash cloth running it under cold water before returning to her beside. He took the cold compress dabbing it all over her face trying to cool her off. She flinched at the feel of it. Elena's eyes were fluttering shut and she began speaking incoherently. "Elena? Elena, can you hear me?"

Elena mumbled, "Don't leave me..."

"No, I won't leave you," he said before realizing she was delirious.

She finished, "...out in the snow. I'm free...freeeezing."

Snow? There wasn't any snow outside. Damon was definitely worried and not sure what to do to get her fever down. He could give her his blood but she was pregnant and with no previous knowledge of a spelled baby fathered by vampire to draw on, he was concerned that anything he did could cause Elena or his son harm. Bonnie said the baby would be human so Damon did the most logical thing he could and called the only doctor he knew he could trust, the only one who knew the truth, Dr. Meredith Fell. He reached Meredith's voicemail, "I'm sorry I missed your call. Leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can. If it's an emergency, I can be reached thru my pager at 617-503-4479."

"Damn it!" Worried and frustrated Damon paced by the bedside as he punched in the pager number. While he waited for her to call back he sat on the bed next to Elena and continued to wipe the sweat from her face. This time Elena didn't flinch when the cool cloth touched her skin. She had passed out from the fever.

It seemed like an hour before Meredith called back but in reality it had only been 10 minutes. Damon answered before the first ring could finish. She didn't even get a 'hello' out before Damon started rambling. "Meredith, I need your help. It's Elena. She has a high fever and I'm not sure what to do for her."

"How high is the fever?"

"I took it about 15 minutes ago and it was 102.6." He could hear the concern in Meredith's voice.

"That's pretty high. You need to try to break the fever. First make sure she's not layered with covers or clothing. She'll probably fight you on it but bundling up is only going to make her fever higher."

Damon pulled the blankets back and heard Elena moan as she weakly attempted to fight him. "Alright the blankets are off. I've tried the cold compress thing but it doesn't seem to be helping."

"Keep applying them and if you need to you can put her in the bath tub in cool water. Also try to get some cold fluids down her. It's important she stays hydrated. Dehydration can be especially dangerous for the baby."

He nodded vigorously as if she could see him thru the phone. "Alright what about the achiness, should I give her something?"

"No, whatever you do don't give her any drugs. It can be dangerous for her especially asprin. Asprin is a blood thinner so it could cause her to bleed out. If her fever doesn't break in a couple of hours or it gets any higher, bring her to the ER right away and page me."

He paused for a moment to look at Elena's pitiful form fitfully sleeping. "I'll keep you posted."

After Damon hung up he stripped Elena of her clothing down to just her camisole and panties. He felt horrible doing it because he could see how much she was shivering despite the sweat that was pouring down her. She had her eyes closed but she kept trying to pull the blankets back up to cover herself. Damon pulled them down to the end of the bed leaving her with just a sheet. She shivered and her teeth chattered, "I'm sooo cccold."

"I know I'm sorry but I can't let you have them. Your fever is too high." She moaned once more at her futile attempt to grab the covers. To make sure she didn't pull them up again, Damon placed them across the room on a chair. He flashed downstairs to get some ice and returned with a pitcher of water and a glass.

He poured the water into the glass then positioned himself on the bed leaning his back against the head board. He placed his arm around her propping her up against his chest so he could get at the right angle to give her some cold water. He held the glass to her lips offering her a sip. "Elena open up. You need to drink this. It will help you cool down."

Her head rolled to the side away from the glass as she muttered, "Mmm, umm, no."

Damon shifted her head back towards the glass. "Hey I know you don't want this but you have to stay hydrated. Come on drink." Her hand flailed up to push the glass away. He pushed her hand down. "Elena, drink just a little…at least for the baby." Her eyes fluttered open briefly to look at him and she nodded her head ever so slightly signifying she understood. He placed the glass to her mouth and she took a small sip. When he tried to give her more it just ran down the side of her mouth. He thought, _A little is better than nothing I guess._ He set the glass down on the night stand and began rocking her to sooth her whimpers. "Shhh it's going to be ok." He grabbed the cold wash cloth again and dabbed it across her forehead and face brushing her wet hair back.

He repeated this over the next hour taking her temperature in between. Her fever was gradually increasing. At its last reading it was 103.1. He stayed at her bedside watching her flinch and mumble incoherently in her sleep. Damon was growing more impatient and deeply worried as time passed with no improvement. Her face was flushed but her lips looked very pale and cracked with dryness. Her hair, under garments and the bedding underneath her were drenched in sweat yet she continued to shiver uncontrollably. Feeling helpless he decided to try Meredith's suggestion and fill the bath tub with cold water. He hated the idea of leaving her in this state even for a second but he knew he had to do something. The bathroom was just around the corner and within ear shot even for a human. As the tub filled he tested the water temperature with his hand making sure it was cold enough. _God I hope this works._

As the tub continued to fill, Damon went back to the bedroom to get Elena undressed. He paused when he entered the room immediately smelling the familiar scent of copper. _Blood!_ He flashed over to Elena and noticed the sheet that had covered her was nearly saturated with blood from her waist down. Her hand rested over her abdomen and she moaned in her delirium indicating she was in pain. Damon's breath was coming ragged with fear as he pulled the sheet back revealing what he already knew. "No, no, no, no, no...please no." Suddenly her body flopped in the bed convulsing. He held her still as the panic welled in him. He shouted, "Elena! Elena!" He knew even if he rushed her to the hospital it might be too late. Desperately he did the one thing he knew he could do to help them. It was risky but at this point they had nothing to lose. He bit his wrist placing it against her lips.

At first she wouldn't drink. He sat on the bed behind her as he had done with the water and propped her head against him placing his bleeding wrist to her lips. He used his other hand to open her mouth as wide as he could. Fear and frustration setting in he yelled, "Drink! Elena you have to drink! Please! I can't help you unless you drink." After a moment he felt her lips move almost imperceptibly under his wrist and saw her throat swallow. He let out a heavy breath and kissed the top of her head. "Good, that's good." Damon rocked her a moment, stroking her hair while she drank. Gently he placed her head back down on the pillow as he slid out from under her. He had blood down the front of his leg from sitting on the bed but he wasn't about to take the time to change. He went to the chair where he'd placed the blanket earlier and brought it over to Elena. Wrapping her in the blanket he scooped her up in his arms. She was limp under his embrace. He cradled her against his chest resting his chin on top of her head and whispered soothingly, "I'm taking you to the hospital. Everything is going to be ok."

Damon flew down the stairs at vamp speed not wanting to waste one second of time. He quickly strapped Elena in the Camero and tore out of the driveway towards the hospital. If his heart still beat, it would surely be racing to the point of a heart attack. The drive to the hospital was a blur between watching Elena and racing down the street at more than illegal speed. Fortunately as a vampire his sight and reflexes were enhanced allowing him to avoid anything in his path. En route he paged Meredith his number followed by *1 indicating a stat emergency. Damon made it to the hospital before Meredith had called back. He gathered Elena in his arms once again and rushed at human speed into the E.R. triage. Even in his desperate state he didn't want to draw unwanted attention to them.

Walking straight to the front desk still holding Elena he told the nurse, "I need you to page Dr. Fell. It's an emergency."

The nurse gave him an aggravated look pointing to the full waiting area. "So are all of these."

Furious Damon looked her in the eyes, "You will page Dr. Fell immediately. Tell her Damon Salvatore is here."

The nurse gave him a glazed looked repeating, "I'll page Dr. Fell immediately. Damon Salvatore is here."

Before the nurse finished entering the number Meredith showed up at the desk. "I got your page. Is her fever higher?" Damon followed Meredith back to one of the examination rooms placing Elena on a wheeled bed.

"It was up to 103 when I checked it last. I was about to put her in the tub but she started bleeding a lot." Meredith took out her pen light lifting Elena's eyelids to check her pupil dilation. She attached Elena to a blood pressure cuff and placed an electronic thermometer in her mouth before unwrapping her from the blanket. The lower half of Elena's body was soaked in blood. Meredith paused looking up at Damon with a serious expression on her face. A pregnant woman bleeding profusely was not good.

As a vampire he certainly wasn't squeamish around blood but seeing the amount of blood covering Elena made his voice tremble slightly when he told Meredith, "I didn't think I could get her here before it was too late." He whispered, "I gave her some of my blood but I'm not sure how much she drank."

Meredith nodded her understanding of how desperate he must have been to feed her his blood. Trying not to reinforce how dire the situation was she said, "Let's hope it was enough…for both of them." Damon wiped his hand down the front of his mouth. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat at the thought of it not working. Meredith could see he was trying his best to maintain his composure for Elena's sake but the anguish was written all over him.

She placed her hand on Damon's arm when additional medical staff walked in to assist. "You need to wait outside so I can help her."

He shook his head walking past her to Elena's bedside and grabbed her hand stroking it gently. "No, I'm not leaving her."

Firmly Meredith said, "Damon, we have to clean her up so I can examine her and draw some blood for testing. The baby needs to be hooked up to a monitor so I can check hi…," she nearly slipped in front of the other staff but corrected herself quickly, "its condition. I promise I'll come and get you as soon as I'm done. Now please go wait outside." He stared at her stubbornly not moving at first. She firmly held his gaze until she saw the logic of her words register in his eyes. He nodded his understanding and reluctantly exited the room to wait in the hallway.

He placed both hands behind his head and paced back and forth for a moment unable to ease his fear and rage. He was about to sit down in one of the chairs when the dam to his feelings broke wide open. He picked a chair up flinging it down the hallway against a wall causing a loud crash. The chair smashed into pieces like it was made of toothpicks leaving a large dent in the wall. Frustrated and feeling defeated he plopped himself down in another chair. He looked down at his hands and clothes caked in blood. Anyone who knew he was a vampire would've thought he'd lost control and killed someone. He laughed manically to himself. _And I thought for once I could actually be happy. I should've known it would be taken away. _He closed his eyes and tilted his head back resting it against the wall. He began mindlessly tapping it in a rhythmic manner over and over. There was nothing he could do, he was completely helpless. This waiting to find out if they'd be ok was killing him. It was far more painful than the 146 years he'd spent waiting to get Katherine back yet waiting was all he could do.


	16. Chapter 16

Over the next hour Damon saw medical staff go in and out of Elena's room, each time he sat up eagerly hoping for word on her condition. Finally Meredith stepped out to talk to him. He stood up immediately to meet her snapping his mind back to attention. His face was deadly serious and his voice was dripping with desperation when he asked her, "How is she?"

Meredith could see how red and swollen his eyes were obviously from crying tears he would never let anyone see. She understood how incredibly hard it had to be on him to keep himself together given the circumstances. She tilted her head slightly to the side and let out a sigh of uncertainty. "She's stable. Her fever is still high but it's starting to come down. It's at 102.4 right now. We have her wrapped in a cooling blanket to help bring down the fever and she's receiving cold IV fluids to rehydrate her. Until we get her labs back to find out what we're dealing with there isn't much more I can do to treat her."

Damon was afraid to ask his next question but he needed to know so he could deal with the loss himself and prepare to help Elena when she wakes up. The vulnerability and desperation in his voice was undeniable when he asked, "What about the baby?"

She smiled tightly at him. She looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. "He's fine. I have him on a monitor and his vitals look good. I think you're blood saved him. Elena might not have drunk enough to lower her fever but it was enough to stop her from miscarrying."

His breath hitched as he choked back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes again. Despite the positive news he could still feel his body shaking as his relief overwhelmed him and he was barely able to get out a hoarse, "Good."

Meredith gave him a sympathetic look and rubbed her hand up and down his arm for reassurance. "The assistant is going to take her up to her room now. She needs to get some rest. When I get her test results back I'll go over them with you." She looked at the dried bloody mess on his hands and clothes. "Elena probably won't be conscious for a while. You should go home and get cleaned up, put on some clean clothes. If she sees all that blood it will just make her worry more."

His face was deadly serious. "No way. I'm not leaving her."

She knew her suggestion would be met with resistance so she already had a back-up plan in mind. She took a few steps away from him to pull some scrubs from the linen cart sitting in the hallway. When she handed them to him he looked down confused. "Here you can put these on. I know they're not your style but at least they're clean. I can sneak you into the on call rooms where you can take a shower and change. No unauthorized people are allowed in there so if you get caught you'll have to compel them. By the time you're done Elena should be settled in her room."

He furrowed his eyebrows and firmed his lips together as his eyes flitted back and forth from the floor to Meredith still trying to reign in his emotions. "Thanks for everything."

"You're welcome."

The assistant wheeled a still unconscious Elena out of the triage area to take upstairs to her hospital room. Damon grabbed her hand as the bed wheeled by and walked along side her to the elevator. Once they wheeled her into the elevator Damon reluctantly let go of her hand and the doors shut. He stood there frozen a moment looking at the elevator door.

Meredith came up beside him placing her hand on his back and tilting her head down to look into his lower cast gaze. "Come on the call rooms are this way." She led him slowly down the hall winding a few times until they reached a restricted area which required the swipe of an identification badge to enter. There were several sleep rooms next to each other all along the hallway. At the end there was a unisex bathroom with a shower and toiletries. "You can wash up in here. There's some soap and shampoo in the cabinets and some towels on the linen cart. I'm going to go and check on Elena again. When you're done she'll be in room 215."

"Thanks again Meredith." Meredith just nodded then turned and walked away leaving him alone. He shut the door to the bathroom and locked it. He looked in the mirror and could see why Meredith suggested he clean up. The amount of blood on him was worse than he thought. A large stain in the center of his shirt nearly covered every inch of fabric. The front of his jeans from his waist to his knees had streaks of blood down them. He had seen how much blood had dried on his hands but wasn't aware until he looked in the mirror that he also had a swipe of blood down the side of his neck. He could see now how puffed and red his eyes were. He said out loud to the mirror, "You have to pull yourself together. She can't see you like this."

He threw back the shower curtain and turned the water on letting the hot water run to warm up before carefully peeling off the clothes that were now stuck to his body where the blood had dried. He placed a towel he'd taken off of the linen cart on the counter near the shower before stepping in. He stuck his head under the shower reveling in the feel of the warm water washing over him, soothing the tension in his muscles he hadn't been aware was there. He stood there a moment with his hand against the wall while the water rained down on him collecting his thoughts. The events of the night flashed in his mind like a nightmare...Elena sweating profusely, her incoherent speech, the convulsing, the blood, and her limp body as he carried her to the car. He attempted to shake it out of his head squeezing his fingers over his eyes then wiping the dripping water from his face. He grabbed the shower gel out of the caddy and began scrubbing Elena's blood away watching it as the red tinted water swirled down the drain. In all the years as a vampire washing his victim's blood off of his hands had never held so much emotion as washing off the blood of the woman he loved more than anything and the son he almost lost.

He stayed in the shower longer than he probably should've but he needed to make sure he was solid before he went to see Elena. He stepped out of the shower and dried off wrapping the towel around his waist. The scrubs Meredith had given him were lying on the counter next to where the towel had been. He picked up the bottoms noting how flimsy and unflattering they were. _Doctors actually see patients in these things? _He certainly wasn't shy but given the fact that he didn't have any underwear to put on he was well aware of how much he'd be revealing._ Well wouldn't be the first time._ He removed the towel, pulled on the scrubs and cleaned away the steam from the mirror to comb his hair. Grabbing one of the clear plastic trash bags under the sink, he placed his soiled clothing inside and headed out of the bathroom.

Walking down the hallway he checked the time on his phone. He'd been in there almost 30 minutes. _Damn it. _He was on his way to the elevator when he caught a whiff of blood as a nurse wheeled a bleeding man into an examination room. He felt the pang of hunger creep up on him and decided it would be a good idea for him to steal a blood bag on his way up. Once he got to Elena's room he didn't plan on leaving again and he'd already gone without eating for over 12 hours. He scanned the hallway looking for an opportunity to swipe some blood. The closest thing he could find was a carrier filled with blood vials for the lab sitting on a cart a phlebotomist had left while she entered another room to do a blood draw. It wasn't much but he didn't want to waste any more time away from Elena. As a vampire blood was blood diseased or not it didn't affect him either way. He swiped 6 tubes and slipped into the elevator before anyone noticed.

He found Elena's room and walked in to see her hooked up to a heart monitor attached to the wall above the bed which read her heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. At the bedside stood two IV infusion pumps with bags of fluid dripping down the lines into Elena's arm. A nasal cannula tube ran under her nose to provide her with a steady stream of oxygen. She was covered with cooling blankets with the exception of her midsection. Across her abdomen laid a sensor that was hooked up to a fetal heart monitor positioned to the right of the bed. He could feel his heart ache at how fragile she looked lying there.

He grabbed a chair and pulled it over to sit with her at the bedside taking her hand in his and brushing her hair away from her face. Tonight was a close call. If he hadn't have been there to give her his blood he could've lost them both. He'd rescued her from the hospital before when Klaus was taking her blood while he was off with Katherine getting information on Mikael but all he had to do then was disconnect her, carry her out and wait for her to regain her strength. This was different. They had no idea yet what had caused her to become so ill. For the third time in less than 24 hours he found all he could do was what he hated the most...wait and see. Above all else he was grateful they were still alive, they still had a chance. He looked up at the monitor above the bed unsure if the readings were considered normal but noticed they hadn't fluctuated much. He took that as a good sign. His eyes wandered next to the fetal heart monitor next to the bed. The numbers on the monitor were much higher than Elena's but Damon's ears could hear that the rhythm of the baby's heartbeat was the same as it had always been. The rhythmic sound it made soothed the ache in his heart.

He studied her pale face for even a speck of movement as he gently stroked her cheek and ran his thumb back and forth over her fingers that he held firmly in his other hand. He thought of all the years he'd spent since he turned surround by loneliness and pain, longing for a woman who never loved him, never believing he would open his heart up again. Elena had changed that. She saw something in him worth saving and so he let her in and his love for her changed him. The happiness he had felt over the last 6 months was because of her. He would have a son because of her. The sound of his voice was soft and broken as he whispered, "I love you…_so _much." He swallowed the lump in his throat as he allowed the tears to fall and rested his head against the bed just like he did the night his mother died.

Damon had dozed off in the hours that passed since he sat down next to Elena's bedside. Even for a vampire the ordeal had been emotionally and physically draining on him especially with his limited feeding. It didn't help that he jarred awake when he heard a sound outside of the humming monitors hoping Elena was finally conscious. Meredith had checked in on them periodically to evaluate the baby and Elena's conditions startling Damon each time when she opened the door. This last time she pulled out a blood bag from her lab coat pocket and handed it to Damon. "Here you look like you could use something to eat. This is all I could sneak away at the moment but I'll get you some more later."

He brought his feet down from their resting place and sat up straighter in the chair rubbing the sleep away from his eyes before grabbing the bag. "Thanks. I didn't really want to leave her."

Meredith nodded. "I figured as much. I have the results of Elena's blood work. I looked them over carefully and the only thing that stood out is that her white blood count is elevated. Since there doesn't appear to be any infections present the elevation is likely caused by the fever. Also I noticed her red blood count was low but that's very common with large blood loss. Still it's not low enough to risk doing a transfusion. Otherwise there were no significant elevations indicating what had caused the fever or her spontaneous bleeding."

Meredith could clearly hear the frustration and exhaustion in Damon's voice. He rubbed his hand down his face still trying to wake up. "You're telling me she went thru this and you have _no_ idea why?"

Meredith sighed, "Not exactly. That's just what we found with her basic lab work. But when the toxicology report came back it showed high levels of menthofuran and pulegone in her system."

He was totally clueless about the medical terminology she was using. As far as he was concerned she might as well have been speaking a foreign language. She could see the complete lack of comprehension over her findings noticeable in his eyes. He raised his hand out, palm up in question cocking his head to the side. "Ooo…k. Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"What it means is...she was poisoned."

"What?!"

"We typically see those levels in someone who has received toxic doses of an herb known as Penny-Royal. A large enough amount of the herb can cause fevers, convulsions and organ failure. But what it is most commonly used for is…inducing a natural abortion."

His mouth suddenly dropped open, his face contorted and he let out a gasp in horror at the news. He could feel the fury rising in him as he said thru gritted teeth, "Are you _fucking_ kidding me_?_"

With all seriousness on Meredith's face she said, "I'm sorry I wish I were."

Damon stood up and began pacing, rubbing his chin as his thoughts raced. "How does someone get poisoned with this coin stuff?"

"It's typically used in air fresheners but for it to be used as a poison it would have to be ingested. People who use it as a natural abortive substance typically ingest it in the form of tea."

He stopped in front of her giving her a deadly serious stare, his chest rising and falling in anger as he laid the situation out. "Elena stops on her way to class to grab some tea and someone slips this in her cup. Either someone knows the truth about him or they were trying to kill Elena."

Meredith nodded. "Given how high her levels were I'd say probably both. The good news is now that we know what is causing the fever I can treat her. I'm going to give her a bolus of N-acetylcysteine which will help neutralize the poison. Since all positive toxicology reports get sent to the state, I'll have to contact Sheriff Forbes and let her know what's going on."

It took every remaining ounce of strength in him to try to contain his anger and the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. As calmly as he could he said, "Tell Liz I want to talk to her. We need to find out who did this. They need to pay. I'm not giving them another chance to try again."

"Will do. I'll be back shortly with the medication." She headed towards the door then turned back around. "Damon, I know you're upset but just remember what Elena needs right now is _you_. The anger and revenge can wait until later."

With an almost imperceptible nod and a slow blink of his eyes Meredith knew she'd gotten thru to him. Damon walked over to the chair next to Elena's bed and dropped back down in defeat. He grabbed the blood bag ripping the cap off then raising it in cheers to Meredith.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'll be right back to start the treatment."

An hour and a half after Meredith had hung the antidote, Damon was still sitting in the chair staring straight ahead deep in thought contemplating his next move. Suddenly he heard a beeping sound coming from the monitor above his head. He looked up concerned something was wrong and noticed Elena's heart rate was rising. Before complete panic set in he heard the most heartwarming sound he could hope for. Hoarse and weak Elena croaked, "Damon?"

His eyes snapped towards her in surprise with a huge smile and a noticeable dropping of his shoulders in relief. Damon leaned towards her grabbing her hand. Softly, lovingly he said, "Hey, you're finally awake."

Her voice was raspy from dryness and her lips were sticking together as she tried to talk. "Water, can I have some?"

"Of course." He jumped up excitedly and grabbed the cup on the bedside table rushing over to the bathroom sink to fill it. He took the straw and placed it carefully to her lips while he supported her head as she raised it slightly to meet the straw.

When she was done she rested her head back down and Damon set the cup aside then scooted his chair closer to sit down. Elena's eyes were partially closed looking at him thru small slits. The next time she spoke her voice was a little clearer but still very weak. She looked at him perplexed. "What are you wearing?"

Damon pulled his scrub top forward pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. He gave her a sarcastic smirk. "What these? They're all the rage, latest fashion statement."

She smiled weakly at his attempt at humor knowing full well he wouldn't be caught dead in something like that any other time. Her face turned serious. "What happened?"

"You had a fever remember? I couldn't get it to break so I brought you in." He wasn't sure if she had been conscious enough at the time to remember the bleeding but he truly hoped she didn't. Remembering all that blood would just upset her.

Elena's eyes opened a little wider as she looked at the ceiling recalling the night. "That's right. I remember now." Damon noticed her expression change to deep worry. She raised her hand to touch her stomach and she started to cry.

"Elena what's wrong? Are you in pain?"

She brought her hand up to wipe away the tears that were just starting to stream down. She choked out, "He's gone isn't he?"

He frowned at her question, answering quickly. "What? No, he's fine."

Giant sized tears continued to run down her cheeks while her eyes looked up at the ceiling as if pleading with God. "No, please! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Her shoulders heaved as she cried out.

Damon leaned closer to brush her hair back trying to sooth her. "Shhh, shhh…he's fine Elena. It's going to be ok. Everything is going to be ok."

Damon's reassurance wasn't enough to stop her sobbing. Thru choked tears she asked, "Then why can't I feel him?" Her hand gently caressed her stomach.

"I don't know. Maybe it has to do with the antidote." He could see she didn't believe him. She started crying harder this time placing both hands over her face in despair. He gently pulled her hands away to look her in the eyes. "Elena? Elena, look at me. He's fine, I promise. I would never lie to you about that."

Looking in his loving blue eyes she knew he was telling her the truth. Her breathing was ragged from crying but she was starting to regain her composure. "He's really ok? Can you hear his heartbeat?"

Damon smiled down at her wiping away a tear from her cheek with his folded fingers. He nodded, "Strong as ever. See for yourself." He pointed to the fetal monitor to the right of her bed.

Elena raised her head looking over to see the readings not knowing exactly what they meant but feeling relieved to see a steady beat across the screen. Her tension eased some and she relaxed back down on the pillow. She shook her head trying to clear it. Not sure she heard him correctly she asked, "Did you say antidote?"

Damon let out a deeply frustrated sigh. "You were poisoned."

Her eyes widened in shock. "_Poisoned?" _A painful realization settled over her that their biggest fear had just happened. He knew the truth. "Klaus."

"I don't think so. Klaus wouldn't be so subtle. He would've kidnapped you and bled you dry then killed you. He definitely wouldn't want to waste your blood. No, someone else did this."

"Who?"

Damon's face tightened in barely controlled anger and determination. "I don't know but they're going to be sorry when I find out." Out of the corner of his eye he could see Elena staring at him in concern. His expression softened as he looked back at her grabbing on to her hand for support. "I don't want you to worry about anything. You just need to get some rest ok?"

Elena licked her dry lips. "Ok. I love you." Still desperately afraid she pleaded, "Please don't leave me."

He looked her dead in the eyes and with the most serious tone replied, "_Never_."


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry everyone for taking so long but the holidays got me off track. Hope you had a nice New Years.**

Hours had passed since Elena had returned to sleep her body drained of energy from the trauma of the last 36 hours. Damon sat with her watching her steady breathing unable to rest from the news of the poisoning despite the burn and ache in his eyes. Her fever was nearly broken now so Meredith had removed the cooling blankets and said she would check on her again later.

Sheriff Forbes had finally arrived to take a report on the incident. The sound of the door slowly opening caught Damon's attention immediately and he stood up to meet her as she entered the room. She whispered so as not to wake Elena. "Meredith filled me in on what happened. How is she doing?"

He looked over at Elena to see her shifting to her side in her sleep. He motioned to the door leading Liz out into the hallway so they could talk without disturbing Elena. "Once the antidote kicked in she started doing _much_ better."

Liz was hesitant to ask knowing how delicate the situation was. "How is the baby?"

He gave her a serious look tilting his head to the side blinking slowly in relief. "We were lucky. I gave her some blood so the baby is fine," he said making sure to keep the sex of the baby concealed.

Liz let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank God. Elena has been thru so much she didn't need to lose this baby too." She could see the strain on Damon's face feeling sympathy for her friend. "I can't imagine what you must have been going thru. Do you have any idea who might have done this or why?"

Damon tried to hold back his anger and frustration. "I don't know for sure. It could be anybody given Elena's importance."

Liz frowned in confusion. She knew a great deal about the supernatural goings on in Mystic Falls, who the vampires and hybrids were and who was the most dangerous. She had been involved in a number of the cover ups when people had mysteriously disappeared or had been killed. She knew Klaus and his siblings were at the center of most things and that Elena somehow fit into the picture but she'd never been told exactly how. "You've never really told me the part Elena plays in all this."

Damon gave her one of his classic satirical smiles. "You know what they say Liz ignorance is bliss. The less you knew the better for everyone."

"Damon don't you think it's time I get filled in on things? How am I going to help if I'm always in the dark?"

He sighed knowing she was right. Damon had kept her out of things as much as he could but he knew by now he could trust her and frankly he could use her help. Telling her a little more wasn't going to make much difference to her. To put it delicately he said, "Elena is..._special._ These hybrids Klaus has, they're possible because of her blood."

Her face was laced heavily with a concerned yet quizzical look. "Her _blood_? I don't understand. What does her blood have to do with hybrids?"

"It's _complicated _but her blood is the only way they can be made. Elena is a genetic anomaly if you will, a replica of one of her ancestors. It only happens every 500 years so long as her family line continues to keep the cycle going."

"So you think someone tried to kill her to stop the cycle." He chewed his lower lip in serious contemplation nodding his agreement. Liz asked, "Who would do such a horrible thing? Klaus? I mean that wouldn't make sense if he wants these hybrids."

He took a deep breath then let it out slowly and rubbed the tiredness from one eye with his fingers as he yawned. "No, it wouldn't which is why he's off the list of suspects. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Klaus may be an Original thorn in our sides but this isn't his method of operating. It's possible it could be someone associated with Klaus maybe someone who wants revenge but I'm guessing it's broader than that say...someone who wants to purge the town of vampires and the like. Sound familiar?"

A look of recognition ran across her face as the horrible possibility set in. "You mean the council?"

Damon nodded. "The council is split about a truce with 'my kind.' Half are willing to negotiate but the other half want to exterminate us. Meredith said there was enough poison in Elena's system to kill both her and the baby. If someone on the council knows how important her blood is killing her would not only solve part of their problem but also send a message to the rest of us that they're in charge. They have the connections to pull something like this off too. Now Carol said Alaric didn't mention anything to the council about Elena but that doesn't mean they didn't find out on their own."

Liz asked, "Any idea where she might have gotten the tea?"

"She was pretty weak when she first woke up. I didn't want to drain her so I didn't ask but someone would have to know her routine to find the right opportunity to slip her the poison. She usually stops at Coffee Cafe on her way to school. I'd start with them."

Liz pulled out her notepad to jot down the information. "Got it. I'll check out the Grille and the campus cafeteria as well. If I can find out where she got the tea from I might be able to trace it back to whoever purchased it. I'm going to take care of this myself. I don't want to tip the council off about the investigation. I'll keep you posted." Liz gave Damon a quick pat on the shoulder in support.

"Thanks," he said as he grabbed the door handle to head back into Elena's room. Upon entering he found Elena awake sitting up in bed watching the fetal monitor and rubbing her hand gently over her stomach. She turned her gaze from the monitor to the door when she heard Damon open it.

"Hey you're awake." He walked over to her with a big smile on his face. Seeing her looking almost like her normal self was a relief. This ordeal had been a long emotional roller coaster ride.

Still somewhat weak she replied, "Yeah, I was just watching the monitor." She looked down at her stomach as she ran her hand over the small bulge then smiled back up at him beaming. "I can feel him moving again. He's really going to be ok isn't he?"

He sat on the side edge of her bed and grabbed her hand rubbing his thumb over her fingers lovingly giving her a half smirk. "Yeah, I told you he was. You know you should really listen to me more often," he said playfully shaking the forefinger of his other hand at her.

She smiled weakly at him teasing back. "Well you _are_ always right."

He gave her another big sarcastic smile and nodded in satisfaction. "And don't you forget it."

Her weak smile slowly faded replaced by a more somber expression. She asked, "Did you call Jeremy?"

"Yeah, I told him not to come yet there wasn't anything he could do right now anyway. I said I'd let him know when you were awake."

Elena breathed in and let out a sigh in relief. The last thing she wanted was for Jeremy to worry. She'd already caused enough worry for one night. Looking down at their woven fingers she stroked her thumb over his hand in return. "I'm so sorry Damon."

"Sorry for what?" He knew what she meant but the idea that she'd done something intentionally to feel guilty about was absurd.

Elena's eyes flitted up to meet his showing the depth of her regret. "For almost losing everything you've been trying so hard to protect. I should've been more careful. I guess I just wasn't thinking."

Reassuringly he said, "Elena you drank a cup of tea. You do that every day without a problem. How were you supposed to know this time it was poisonous? It's not your fault." She down cast her eyes still feeling guilty for putting him thru the emotional drama. He squeezed her hand tighter. With resolute determination he said, "But from now on you aren't going to eat _anything_ and I mean _anything_ unless either you or I've prepared it. Or at the very least seen it prepared. I mean it. We're not taking any more chances."

She nodded in agreement. For the first time since she'd woken up it suddenly occurred to her that she hadn't eaten in a long time. "Speaking of food I'm kind of hungry. What am I supposed to eat? I mean how do I know if it's safe to eat anything here?"

Before Damon could answer Meredith walked in greeting them warmly. "Well this is a good sign you're sitting up. Looks like the antidote is working." She walked over to the bedside with her hands in the pockets of her lab coat as Damon and Elena turned their attention to meet her. "So how are you feeling?"

"Better. I can feel him moving again," relief and excitement apparent in her voice.

"Good, that's a good sign. Sometimes it can take awhile for the numbness from the antidote to subside." Meredith looked up at the monitor above Elena's head studying the readings for a moment. "Your vital signs look good." They watched as Meredith walked around to the other side of the bed and fiddled with the fetal monitor. "Everything appears stable here too." Damon squeezed Elena's hand and half smiled at her. Turning back to look at them Meredith said, "I just checked your chart and your temperature is almost back to normal. Are you having any pain, chills or nausea?"

"No, in fact I was just telling Damon that I was hungry but I don't know what's safe to eat."

Meredith attempted to make light of the situation by cracking a joke at the hospital's food. "It's hospital food so technically nothing is really _safe_ to eat. I'd definitely stay away from the meatloaf." They all cracked a much needed smile at her weak attempt at levity. "Actually I'm going to start you out on clear liquids. I'll go myself and grab you something from the doctor's dining room. If someone is waiting to try again they won't be expecting that."

Meekly as if she were asking to be released from detention early, Elena asked, "So any idea when I might be able to go home?"

"Not for a few days at least. The level of poison you had in your system was enough to put you at risk for organ failure. I want to continue to monitor you and the baby to make sure you're both completely stable before I send you home." She looked from Elena to Damon with a sense of sympathy in her eyes for all they'd been thru. "I'm sure neither of you want to have to come right back here."

Damon jeered, "Pfst, _nooo_," dragging out the 'o' for effect.

"Ok then I'm going to get you something to eat. The lab tech should be in shortly to draw some more blood. I'll be back in a bit."

Elena reached up to stroke Damon's cheek lovingly. "You look exhausted. You should go home and get some sleep." Sure he was a vampire and could function on less than the average human but she still worried about him. He always did his best to be strong for her and she wanted to make sure she took care of him in return. They wouldn't be alive right now if he hadn't been there to save them just like he always did. Not only had he saved her life countless times but he made her feel alive, he made her life worth living. She had no idea what she would do without him.

His pale blue eyes that typically glowed were now rimmed red and lined with dark circles. That was not something Elena was accustom to seeing on his beautiful, eternally youthful face. Obviously it had been far too long since he had fed to give him the much needed sustenance for his body to recharge. He gave her a sideways grin and a wink. "I'll be fine." His feeble attempt to assuage her concern was less than convincing. She'd known him long enough to be able to read his expressions and it was clear to her he was not 'fine.'

She leaned forward to capture a closer look at his haggard face. She placed her forefinger under his chin to raise his face up to meet her gaze. "Damon you're not fine. When was the last time you fed?"

He shrugged his shoulders trying to blow it off. "I don't know a few hours ago. Meredith slipped me a blood bag." The truth was it had been more than a few hours ago.

"That's not enough you must be starving."

"Elena I'm fine really. If I get hungry I can go feed on that 400lb guy I saw them wheel in the room across from yours. I'm sure he could spare a few quarts."

She tried to suppress a smirk. She didn't want to encourage his incorrigible behavior but sometimes she couldn't help herself. "That's not funny," she said yet he could hear the slight giggle in her voice.

He gave her one of his famous wolf in sheep's clothing brilliant smiles. "Come on it's a little funny."

She looked at him sternly folding her arms and raising one eyebrow. He could be so stubborn sometimes but she was determined to win this one. "_Go_ _home!_ You heard Meredith we're both stable. We'll be fine for a few hours while you're gone."

Whenever she gave him that tone he had learned it was easier to compromise with her than to fight about it. Besides as much as he wanted to stay she was right. They were both doing better and he really needed to eat otherwise his strength wouldn't up to par to protect her. "Fine I'll go home for a few hours on one condition." She looked at him expectantly. "You call Bonnie and have her come sit with you until I get back."

Elena whined, "_Damon…"_

Damon cut her off firmly saying her name with the same tone she used. "_Elena..._I'm not leaving you unprotected especially not after someone just tried to poison you. So either you call Bonnie or I'm staying."

She tilted her head up giving him a slight indignant yet victorious smile. "Fine, I'll call her right now."

An hour later, Bonnie arrived at the hospital. When she entered the room Damon was supporting a weak Elena walking back to bed from the bathroom pushing her IV pole next to her. The tray of liquids Meredith brought her combined with the IV fluids worked their way thru her system quickly like she had just chugged a gallon of water. Elena was glad to see that Bonnie could make it on such short notice. "Oh Bonnie thanks for coming."

Bonnie walked over and gave Elena a light hug being careful of her IV. "No problem." When they parted Bonnie still had her forearms resting against Elena's in a loose grasp. She looked at her sincerely, "I'm so sorry. I can't believe this happened."

Damon was still standing next to Elena ready to support her in case she lost her balance from the weakness. He didn't want to risk her falling so he intervened in their conversation before they could go any further. He urged Elena, "Come on you can talk to your little hearts' content later like after I leave. Right now you need to get back in bed."

She rolled her eyes at his overprotectiveness but she couldn't blame him under the circumstances. She quipped, "Yes dad."

He gave her an over exaggerated 'Ha ha' then said, "Now get back into bed."

Bonnie helped Damon ease Elena back into bed accidentally catching a glimpse of his rather large bulge that was difficult to miss thru those paper thin scrubs. She averted her eyes quickly before either noticed. She harassed Damon, "Wow you look like Hell. No wonder Elena called me."

Damon scrunched his face in a sarcastic smirk. "Thanks. As always your opinion means _so_ much to me." Once she was settled in bed Damon stood there a moment reluctant to leave. He felt uneasy going home even with Bonnie there to watch over her. He rubbed his hands together fidgeting. "So I guess I'll be leaving." Elena smiled up at him pleased to see he was going to do as she'd asked and get some rest. Stalling he said, "Or I could just stay."

Both Bonnie and Elena said in unison, "_Go!_"

Damon frowned clearly not happy with their insistance. Finally he raised his hands up in surrender. "Ok, ok I'll go. I'll let Jeremy know you're awake. Maybe he can come by and keep you company."

Elena leaned forward to grab his hand reassuringly. "We'll be fine. I'll see you later."

He sighed heavily. "Alright." Her hand reached up to touch his cheek as he leaned down to give her a gentle kiss goodbye. Damon grabbed the bag of his blood stained clothes then turned back for one more uneasy smile before leaving.

Bonnie turned back to Elena. "Out of all the times you've been in danger I don't think I've ever seen him look that frazzled."

Elena frowned and nodded her agreement. "It's been rough on him. Thanks for coming Bonnie. I'm glad you're here."

Bonnie grabbed her hand and smiled back. "Me too."

Damon walked past the nurses' station to the elevator and pushed the down button. Waiting for the elevator he scanned around the desk checking for anything suspicious but finding nothing except the usual medical personnel using computers, discussing patients and making phone calls. For a moment he thought he caught one of the female staff staring at him but when he blinked his eyes she was once again occupied with her work. He shook the thought away. Either she was checking him out for some reason or he was imagining things as a result of his tiredness. The elevator dinged indicating it had arrived on his floor, the doors opened and he stepped in.

The elevator doors closed and a nurse at the desk raised her head up looking around nervously to make sure no one was watching. She walked down the hallway grabbing a cell phone out of her pocket to make a discreet phone call. When the recipient answered the nurse whispered, "I'm calling about the Gilbert woman. Her condition has improved."

Annoyed the man on the other end asked, "And the child?"

"Alive. I don't understand how. According to the dosage listed in the chart it should've been lethal to her."

He growled, distain evident in his voice. "Vampire blood."

Nervously she said, "There's more. Sheriff Forbes was here asking questions. I..I'm not sure how much she knows."

"I'll deal with Sheriff Forbes. You just make sure the doppleganger gets that injection."

A doctor walked by smiling at the nurse on the phone. When the doctor was out of earshot she whispered, "I don't think I can go thru with it. I can't kill an innocent child."

Thru gritted teeth the man said calously, "The child is not _innoncent._ She is an abomination and will serve to continue the cycle of evil that is plaguing this town. Need I remind you of our deal? Perhaps you would prefer the licensing board find out about your little narcotic addiction."

"No, _please_," the nurse pleaded desperately.

"Then you'll do as you're told."

She swallowed hard feeling her body shake at the thought that her entire career, her livelihood depended on killing a child. She tried to stall. "I'm not sure I can get close enough to her. Damon Salvatore has left but a young African-American woman is with her now. Between her and Dr. Fell she's being watched closely."

He pursed his lips in thought while he paced. "Probably the Bennett witch."

"So what should I do?"

He contemplated for a moment before answering. "First dispose of the injection. We don"t want any evidence lying around for the Sheriff to find. We'll have to come up with another plan of attack once they relax again. For now keep an eye on her. I want to know when she's discharged."

"Yes sir." The nurse hung up relieved she didn't have to go thru with the plan. She quickly scanned the hallway once more to make sure no one had heard her conversation before returning to the front desk to go back to work.

Damon pulled up in the driveway at the boarding house. He turned the Camero off, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was so tired he could fall asleep right there. He hadn't wanted to leave Elena but now that he was home his bed was calling to him. He got out of the car and dragged himself into the house. He tossed the bag of soiled clothes on the floor in the foyer and headed to the basement to grab himself some blood. Not bothering to stop for a glass, he took three bags with him as he headed up the stairs ripping one open immediately and sucking it down. When the blood hit his lips it was like quenching a thirst after walking in the desert. _Guess I was hungrier than I thought. _He opened the door to his bedroom and was momentarily taken aback by the sight. He was so tired he had forgotten the mess he'd left behind. The blood on the bed had caked and dried to the sheets. He walked over to the bed and shook his head sadly remembering how helpless he felt. He started ripping the sheets off only to see the blood had saturated the mattress. He said out loud to himself, "Fuck it. I'll just replace the whole thing." He walked over to the closet peeling off the scrubs he'd been wearing and tossed them in the hamper. He threw on a pair of lounge pants and made his way out of the bedroom towards one of the other rooms to sleep.

There were 7 other rooms to choose from including Stefan's but the one he gravitated to was the room across the hall, the one they'd chosen as the nursery. They hadn't done anything to the room yet but Elena's antique rocking chair from her parents' house sat in the corner with the annoyingly large teddy bear Klaus had left them on it staring at him...again. For some reason seeing the bear this time gave him some comfort maybe because it reminded him that his son was still alive. Too tired to think anymore he finished off the last remaining blood bag before crashing face first onto the bed and passing out.


	18. Chapter 18

Nearly a week had passed since Elena had been hospitalized from a near fatal poisoning. She paced in her room anxiously awaiting Damon's arrival with her clothes so she could finally be discharged and go home. She'd been on bed rest most of the time and was going stir crazy, but that was the least of her concerns. The longer she stayed there the more likely it was that someone would discover the truth about the baby's sex. They had already had a close call earlier that day.

Meredith had insisted on doing another ultrasound to make sure the baby was fine before she agreed to discharge Elena. During the ultrasound, a nursing assistant came in unexpectedly with fresh linens and placed them on the table across from Elena's bed. The baby was far enough along for the genitals to have developed, and Meredith had just finished pointing them out to Damon and Elena when the assistant entered. They all froze in position holding their breath, as the assistant paused at the bed side and smiled at them. She gushed over the picture of the baby on the monitor. "Oh, look how _sweet_."

Meredith gave her an admonishing look. It was out of character for Meredith to belittle the hospital support staff, but in this instance it was necessary to pull rank in order to protect their secret. "Excuse me but I'm in the middle of a procedure here in which your services are not required. Need I remind you that you are violating this patient's privacy? I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Flustered, the nursing assistant averted her eyes, lowering her gaze to the floor. "I'm so sorry Dr. Fell. I'm sorry." She looked up briefly at Damon and Elena and apologized once more for her interruption before quickly exiting the room.

Panicked Elena asked Meredith, "Do you think she saw anything?"

Meredith replayed what had been recording at the time of the interruption and showed it to them. "I doubt she could've seen anything. Take a look at this." She pointed her finger to a spot on the screen.

They both looked at the monitor, confused by what they saw. Damon bent over squinting to get a better view. He asked, "What the Hell? Did he just…?"

Meredith chuckled, "Yep. He did."

Damon raised his eyebrows and down turned his mouth nodding, impressed by what he saw. "Smart little guy."

Damon left to get Elena's clothes not long after the official discharge order was written. He'd been gone about an hour when he finally walked thru the door all chipper carrying her tote bag. "Ready to bust out of here?"

Elena eagerly grabbed the tote bag out of his hands. "More than. What took you so long?" She pulled the clothes out of the bag, placing them on the bed, and started to get dressed.

"I couldn't find half of the stuff you asked for. We_ really_ need to organize your stuff better."

Elena rolled her eyes at his need to have things neat and orderly. She pulled on her jeans to button and zip up but wasn't having much success getting them around her swollen belly. She kept trying to force them to button. Frustrated, she dropped her hands down with an exaggerated motion and looked up at Damon, blowing a piece of hair away from her face. "I've only been here a week. I couldn't have gained that much weight in a week."

"Guess you did. Good thing I brought a back up." He reached inside the bag, pulled out a pair of sweat pants, and handed them to her. "I put these in the bag when I was looking for your jeans. I doubt you're going to be able to wear most of your stuff much longer."

She smiled brightly, batting her eyes playfully. "Then I guess you'll just have to take me shopping."

His head dropped in exasperation. "Oooh I knew you were going to say that."

She picked up her tote bag and teased, "But you _love_ shopping."

"Yeah for my own clothes, maybe furniture, artwork, not women's clothes." He smiled broadly, suddenly changing his tone. "Well that is unless it's lingerie."

She grabbed Damon's arms and turned him around before looping her arm through his. As they walked towards the door she said, "Of course you would say that."

Elena trudged through the door of the boarding house, allowing her bag to drop from her shoulder to her hand, dragging it close to the floor. "Oh it's _so_ good to finally be home."

Damon grabbed her by the waist and turned her around to hold in his arms. She dropped her bag to the floor, returning the embrace.

In his most sexy drawl he said, "Mmm well it's good having you home." He placed a soft lingering kiss on her lips.

They smiled sweetly at each other when their lips parted. She rubbed her hand up and down his chest, as her eyes lingered on his lips. She whispered, "Then why don't you should show me how much you missed me?" She slid her hands up to bring his face to hers and kissed him more passionately. She could feel his arousal against her, raising her own level of excitement.

However, instead of continuing Damon gently took her hands in his, pulling them away from his face, holding them in front of him. His lips parted hers with a contented smile on his face. "As much as I would love to continue this, it's going to have to wait until later. I..." He placed another small kiss on her lips. "Have dinner to make." He released her hands and started to head towards the kitchen, leaving a stunned Elena standing in the hallway.

She followed him into the kitchen, whining in annoyance at his tease. "Seriously? You're going to make dinner _now_?"

He was taking slight pleasure in teasing her this way. He definitely was eager to make love to her, but he wanted to draw things out. He wanted to make this night special. "Yep," he said popping the 'p' at the end of the word. "You've been eating crappy hospital food all week, and I want to make something nice for you. I can show you how much I missed you later. We have all night for that," he said, giving her a devilish smile and a wink.

Elena rolled her eyes, accepting defeat. "Ok what can I help with?"

After dinner, Damon sent Elena into the great room to relax by the fire while he finished loading the dishwasher. She was scanning through a photo album, reminiscing about the happy times she had as a child with her parents, when Damon walked in with two drinks in his hand.

Offering Elena a mug, he said, "Here, I thought this might help settle your stomach. Hot chocolate is a lot better than warm milk." He gave her a tempting smirk.

The dinner Damon had made for them tasted incredible, but after a week of eating bland hospital food, the spices he used gave her a little heartburn. She looked up at Damon with a half hearted smile as she grabbed the mug. "Thanks."

He sat down next to her, placing one arm around the back of the couch, the other holding his drink, and peered over her shoulder glancing at the album. He could tell by the look on her face that he already knew the answer, but he asked anyway, "You all right?"

Elena took a sip of her drink then stared into the cup, contemplating how to answer. "I was just thinking about my parents, and how much they would've loved to have a grandchild."

Damon could see the tears in her eyes and the sadness that threatened to overwhelm her, so he attempted to lighten the mood with his usual sarcasm. "Until they found out who the father was."

She smirked. "That's not true. For all you know they would've loved you."

Damon's face contorted like she was crazy. "Pfst! Have you forgotten your family's opinion on vampires?"

She chuckled knowing how right he was. For generations no Gilbert has tolerated vampirism that is until Elena Gilbert. "Ok, so maybe we wouldn't have mentioned your vampire nature, but you still could've won them over with your _charm_," she teased, before taking another sip from her mug.

"Yeah I _am_ charming, but I'm also a dick remember?" There was a slight delay before they both burst out laughing.

"They would've been happy as long as I was happy." Her demeanor once again turned somber. She looked down to give her stomach, giving it a gentle rub, and said, "I swear my heart was in my throat when that assistant walked in during the ultrasound."

Damon tightened his lips remembering. If he hadn't known better, he would've sworn his heart started beating again just as hard as it did when he was human. "I know what you mean. At least you're home now, so that's one less thing to worry about."

As a tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek, Damon gently wiped it away with his finger. Seconds later, her demeanor changed, and she let out a giggle. Damon knew she was going through mood swings from the hormones, but her sudden change of emotions left him confused. "What's so funny?"

She put her hand up to her mouth to stifle her laughter. "I can't believe we just finished discussing his penis, and he crossed his legs to hide it when the assistant walked in."

He quipped, "Maybe he's shy." The memory of that moment caused him to smirk.

"Pfst! Are you serious? He's your son. There's no way he's shy."

They both chuckled again, and when the laughter died down, they sat in silence while Elena continued to thumb through the photo album. Damon watched her lovingly, as she turned the pages, stroking her hair where it fell against the back of the couch. After a minute or so, he took a big gulp of his bourbon before setting the glass down on the table in front of him. He turned to face Elena, taking her hand in his, caressing it gently. She paused from her album to look up at him. He said, "Elena, I know this isn't how you pictured your life, but I just want you to know that these last few months have meant more to me than anything in my whole life."

His touching confession made her eyes well with tears again. She sniffled, as she wiped the tears from her face. She said, "No, this isn't how I expected my life to be, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy. Does anyone's life ever really turn out how they planned? Yours didn't turn out the way you thought either, but you're still happy." She looked down at their combined hands. "It's just I'm worried about what's going to happen to him. What his life is going to be like."

Damon nodded solemnly, "Me too. Um..." He cleared his throat then took another swig of his drink before continuing. "This is going to sound really, really, _really_ old fashioned, but keep in mind that I am 170 years old before you discount it completely."

She briefly closed her eyes, shaking her head in confusion. "Damon what are you talking about?"

He took in a deep breath before he spoke. _Here we go_. "Look, I know how fast everything has happened but..." He pulled out a small black box. "It would mean a lot to me if our son was born legitimately."

Elena's eyes widened when she saw the box. For a second, she was speechless. "Oh my God Damon are you proposing?"

He gulped then began stammering, "I'm..I'm not trying to rush you into anything. I just want you to think about it. I get that I'm not..."

Elena placed her fingers over his mouth to stifle his ramble. "Will you shut up a minute and let me answer?" When he nodded in agreement, she pulled her hand away from his mouth. She said, "I know you still have a hard time believing that I really love you. It's my fault after everything I put you through because of Stefan." She looked down at her glass, recalling how much she'd hurt him. She met his gaze again and said, "I loved him Damon. I'm sorry for the pain I caused you both, but I don't regret the time I spent with him."

Damon felt the familiar pain of rejection threatening to take over him once again. He sighed deeply, preparing himself for the inevitable.

Elena noticed the drastic change in his demeanor. She could see his emotional wall going up. She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "I don't regret being with Stefan because it brought me to you."

His eyes shot up at her in surprise and the tenseness in his body noticeably melted away.

She explained, "Do you remember a while back when you told me you used to have fun controlling the fog and how you used to use birds to spy on people?"

He nodded subtly.

"I never told you this but not long after Stefan arrived in town, before you and I met here at the boarding house, Bonnie and I were at this bonfire. She was trying to convince me that she could see the future, so jokingly I handed her a beer bottle to use as her crystal ball, and we accidentally touched. She had a vision. She said she saw a crow, fog, and a man."

His face contorted into a confused expression.

"She saw you Damon even through the compulsion."

He looked blankly at her unsure of what to think.

"Do you know what she saw the first time she touched Stefan?"

He shrugged, slightly shaking his head 'no.'

"She saw what she pictured death to be like. It was always supposed to be you. I'm exactly where I want to be. I love you."

He frowned giving her a suspicious side glance. "Soooo…is that…a yes?"

Her smile just beamed as she laughed at his uncertainty. "That's a yes."

The elation he felt showed in the broad smile that appeared on his face. He gently grabbed her behind the neck and pulled her to him for a deep lingering kiss. When they parted, she looked down at the black box and asked, "Can I see it?"

Caught up in the moment, he briefly forgot about the box he was holding. His mind snapped back to attention. "Absolutely." He opened the box revealing the ring, a 3 carrot ruby at its center, surrounded by a circle of diamonds, in an antique silver setting. Her eyes widened, gasping at the sight of it. He explained, "It was my mother's. If it's not your style, I can get you something..."

She cut him off, "No! It's beautiful. I love it." She took the ring out of the box, placing it on her finger, and held it out in front of her, admiring it's beauty. She turned to Damon holding his face between her hands and gave him another lingering kiss. She pulled back, holding his gaze in her eyes. "Is it ok with you if we keep this to ourselves right now?"

He furrowed his eyebrows giving her a puzzled look. "It's fine with me, but don't you at least want to tell Jeremy?"

"No. I know that sounds strange, but..." She searched for the right words to explain herself. "Every time there's an event, it gets ruined by some outside drama. For once, I'd like to have just one day that's special and flawless without anyone getting in the way." She reached for his hand and squeezed it pleadingly. "Can you understand that?"

"Sure," he said, the tight expression on his face relaxing.

"I want it to be only the three of us. We can tell everyone else afterwards."

He smiled at her agreeably. "Whatever you want Elena." He could care less when she told her friends. He was just happy she said yes.

They leaned into each other for another kiss that rapidly became deep and passionate. Elena pushed forward, forcing Damon onto his back, their hands wandering over each other's body. A week apart had been far too long for both. She frantically started unbuttoning his shirt to run her hands along his bare chest. They gasped for air, as they feverishly kissed each other, before Damon pulled away once again. Elena let out a whimper. Panting he suggested, "Let's go upstairs." They got up and Damon lead her by the hand to the stairs.

Elena veered towards their bedroom but Damon pulled her away. "This way. I want to show you something." He lead her to the baby's room.

"Another surprise?"

"Just a small one." He opened the door, guiding her by the hand to enter first.

The room that had once been occupied by bedroom furniture was now mostly empty except for Elena's rocking chair and a newly put together crib against the far wall. Her eyes widened when she saw it. She inhaled in surprise. "You cleaned the room out. And you got the crib." She half turned to look at him in delight.

"That's the one you wanted right?"

The surprise still evident in her voice, she said, "Yeah, that's the one I saw in the catalogue."

"I know it's a little early to get the room ready, but I thought it might cheer you up, give you something to look forward to working on." He brushed her hair away from her shoulder.

She turned back to the crib beaming. "I love it." She noticed some odd stuffed toy sitting upright in the crib. Picking it up, she immediately started laughing when she saw what it was. The toy was a stuffed version of The Count from Sesame Street. She turned to look at Damon again. "A vampire? Cute."

He smiled broadly. "I thought it was fitting given his lineage and all." Damon and his smart-assed sense of humor was part of what Elena loved about him. He always made her laugh.

She put the toy back in the crib and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him in for a deep kiss. His hands naturally went to hold her by the waist, and they showered each other with multiple kisses. She bit her lip lowering her eyelids seductively. "So now will you show me how much you missed me?"

He drew his lips mere inches from hers and purred provocatively, "Mmm absolutely." Their lips met once again, ravaging each others, while their hands worked on removing each other's clothes.


	19. Chapter 19

**Given the tragedy of poor Jeremy's death I doubt we'll be seeing any romantic DE interactions for a while so I threw some in this chapter to get us through. Enjoy! Note: Explicit content.**

Elena was excited about Damon's proposal the night before, but as she got ready for school, she thought how sad it was that she couldn't share her happiness with anyone around her, without running the risk of ruining her special day. The last thing she needed to hear was her friends trying to talk her out of marrying Damon because he was such a horrible 'monster.' She'd gotten enough grief from them when she started dating him, and even more when she told them he was going to help her raise her baby. They would be floored if they knew the baby was actually his too. That bomb wouldn't be dropped for several more months. Right now, she just didn't feel like justifying why she was going to marry the man she was completely in love with despite their objections. It was her life to be lived as she wanted, and Damon was who she wanted. She loved her friends, but she was an adult. She didn't need their approval. Caroline could have her hissy fit all she wanted, but that didn't mean Elena has to subject herself to hearing it. She found herself getting irritated already and shook the thought out of her head. She was not about to let her controlling friends, or Klaus for that matter, ruin her happiness. She shook the thought away and took a deep calming breath.

Elena had just finished brushing her teeth and was about to dry her hair, when Damon walked up behind her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled back the collar of her robe exposing her neck, and placed a kiss along her collar bone. She giggled when his soft lips touched her skin with a butterfly-like feel. He was definitely happy she was home. He slowly slid his nose up the side of her cheek, so his hot breath was against her ear when he spoke. "Mmmm I think you should skip class and stay in bed with me _all_ day long." He placed a soft hot kiss against her ear, sending chills of excitement down her spine. He lightly nibbled on her earlobe then continued placing kisses down her neck, as he swayed her gently back and forth.

She stopped what she was doing, placing her hands over his on her waist, and looked at him in the mirror. _Uh why does he have to be so sexy? _She took a breath to control the part of her that wanted desperately to cave to his tempting offer. Instead, she let the logical part of her speak, "I'd love to but I can't. I'm already so far behind from missing all last week. Finals are in 3 weeks. I'll never pass this semester if I keep missing. Besides, I know why you really want me to stay." She turned around to face him, still held in his embrace.

"Oh _really_. Now what other possible motive could I have beyond wanting to make love to you until you're begging me to stop?" His voice purred seductively as he tried to charm her.

Elena gave him a serious look. "You're worried about something happening to me again, so you're trying to keep me home."

He tossed his head to the side conceding. Flippantly, he said, "Well, it was worth a shot." He gave her a smile so sly it resembled the Cheshire cat from _Alice in Wonderland_. He slid his hands off of her and stepped over to the shower to turn the water on.

That wasn't quite the response she'd expected. Being overly protective was Damon's thing. "Wait that's it? You're not even going to argue with me about it?" She looked at him suspiciously, crossing her arms over her chest.

He walked back to face her. "It's pointless. I'll insist you stay home, you'll tell me I'm being overly cautious. I'll point out how dangerous it is. And then you'll give me that look you know will make me cave, bringing us right back to where we are now. See pointless," he said, with an unbelievable casualness to his voice.

A smile spread across her lips. He was right of course. They had been over this before when she first found out she was pregnant, in fact, in this very same spot. At that time, they were worried about Klaus, but she managed to assuage Damon's concerns enough for him to relax and let Bonnie watch over her while she was at school. Obviously this recent attack had reestablished his fears, and truthfully, she couldn't blame him. He'd almost lost everything all because of her lacked routine. It didn't help that the culprit still hadn't been identified. Letting her finish out the semester without a hassle was a huge thing for him to do under the circumstances. "Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he responded in kind. Looking up at him, she said, "Though I half expected you to say _you_ were going to follow me around all day long."

He smirked, stifling a slight laugh. "Yeah, well, I was going to, but I decided to pick my battles. I might have to do that later, and I don't want you arguing with me then. Anyway, I thought it would make more sense to try figuring out who actually poisoned you and get rid of the threat altogether. Besides, you'll still have Bonnie with you for protection, and it's only a few more weeks." By the time her semester finished, she'd be approaching the 6 month mark. Knowing she wouldn't be able to get another full semester in before the baby was born, made it easier for him to compromise. Plus he doubted whoever had attacked her would be stupid enough to try again so soon while the police were actively investigating the incident.

She knew what would come out of his mouth next, so she beat him to it. "And I know, don't eat or drink anything except what I take with me. I promise I won't." She crossed her heart with her fingers.

"Good girl." He leaned down and kissed her softly. Damon slowly started untying the belt of her robe playfully. "Care to join me for a shower?" I'll wash your hair for you."

Her smile beamed back at him. She teased, "But I already washed my hair."

Damon chuckled wickedly. "Well, I guarantee it will need it again once I get done with you." He went in for another kiss, as he pulled her robe from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. He pressed her against him so she could feel his length. They continued to kiss, while her hands made their way to free him from his pajama bottoms, causing his firmness to rub against her stomach tantalizingly. They enjoyed fondling each other a little longer before Damon took her by the hand and lead her to the shower, standing back to allow her to enter first.

Facing each other, Elena leaned her head back under the warm water, as Damon wiped her wet hair back from her face. He grabbed the shower gel, poured it on her breasts, and lathered it, as he sensually caressed her. One hand remained on her breast to run over her nipple, giving it a gentle, but firm, squeeze between his index and middle fingers. His other hand cupped the back of her neck, pressing her lips passionately against his. The water dripped between their tongue filled kisses. Elena's hands followed the slick wetness of his skin, down his back to grasp his buttock, pulling his pelvis closer against hers. Damon's lips left hers, trailing down her neck, alternating between kisses and running his fangs lightly against her flesh. When he reached the tops of her breasts, he licked the water off as it dripped along her nipple. His hand trailed down the small bulge of her tummy, to rub wantonly along her slit, before giving her pubic hair a light tug. Elena slid her hand around from his back, using the soap that dripped down her, to stroke Damon's very firm erection. A muffled moan of pleasure escape his mouth between their kisses. The steady firm stroking made him ache to be inside her even more. He turned her around, slightly bending her forward, to rest her hands against the shower glass. He spread his feet apart and crouched down slightly, pulling her by the hips to him, to rub his cock along her wetness. To accommodate for the difference in height, she rose up on the balls of her feet and lifted her behind invitingly. She reached for his cock and guided him in with her hand. He plunged in with one fluid motion. The warm water continued to roll down them, heightening the erotic feel of their movements. The steady rhythmic thrusting at this angle, pushed her over the edge much quicker than usual. But she continued to ride out the pleasure, until she felt the warmth of his fluid fill her as he orgasmed. After he came down from his high, he pulled himself out and gently grabbed her by the shoulders to press her back against his chest. He sucked a drop of water off of her earlobe then whispered. "_Now_ I can wash your hair." She smirked and handed him the shampoo from the shower caddy.

Elena came trotting down the stairs to the sound of a loud rapid tapping on the front door. She opened the door to find an exasperated Bonnie standing there. "Finally! I called you like 10 times. What the hell took you so long? I was about to leave."

Elena looked at her phone, noticing the 10 missed calls. Blushing, she said, "Sorry, I didn't get your messages. I was in the shower."

Bonnie took one look at Elena's wet hair as she tied it in a pony tail and knew what took her so long. "Let me guess, Damon is what took so long?" Elena smirked, as she turned to pick up her book bag. As they made their way out the door, Bonnie let out a frustrated moan. "Uh, don't you two ever stop? I mean you'd think you'd start slowing down now." Her eyes ran down to Elena's swollen stomach, indicating what she was referring to.

Elena gave her a perplexed glare. "Why, because I'm pregnant? I'm not dead you know. We still have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves. Besides, we might as well take advantage of our time alone. Once the baby arrives we're not going to have much privacy."

Bonnie was young and didn't have much sexual experience, so she couldn't imagine why anyone would still have the desire for sex while their stomach was being pushed and stretched from the inside out. She couldn't imagine it being pleasurable. She scrunched her nose, asking curiously, "Isn't it uncomfortable?"

"No, not yet anyway. In fact, it feels even better now when he takes his..."

Bonnie cut her off before she could finish. Squeezing her eyes shut, she waved her hand trying to get the visual out of her head. "Ew, I don't need to know about your sex life with Damon, thank you."

Noticing how embarrassed Bonnie was getting, Elena took the opportunity to tease her further. "What? You don't want to know how easily he can get me..."

"Stop it! You're going to give me nightmares."

Elena laughed as they got into the car. "Hey, you're the one who brought it up." She teased, "If you don't want to know then don't ask. And anyway, I wouldn't be pregnant if you hadn't cast that spell in the first place."

"Ok, I deserve that. Can we please just change the subject? Did you have a chance to finish the assignment I brought you last week?"

"What else did I have to do while I was stuck in the hospital on bed rest?"

Damon met Sheriff Forbes at the station in her office. The sheriff had been in charge of the investigation into Elena's poisoning on an official and unofficial basis. He tapped on the open door frame to get her attention. "You ready?"

Liz looked up at him. "Yeah come in."

He shut the door behind him before sitting down in the chair across from her desk. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees, looking intently at her. "So what have you got for me?"

"As I started to tell you on the phone, we completed our sweep of the local hangouts Elena frequents. None of them have tested positive for even a trace of the substance. Whoever did this made sure they got rid of the evidence."

"Great. Did you find out anything out about the distributors? Where it might have come from?"

She nodded. "There are over 30 distributors in this state alone that sell Penny-Royal tea bags to stores that specialize in homeopathic remedies. I don't have the man power to check all the distributors, so I tried to focus at least on the local organic shops within a 40 mile radius." She handed Damon the list.

He scanned over the paper. "And?"

"And I found there were at least 5 shops that had sold those tea bags the week prior to the poisoning. The shop owners have said most of their sales are to their regular customers, but they're going to check their receipt copies for sales to any unknown customers. We might be able to find something if the tea bags were purchased with either a debit or credit card. If not, we still might be able to narrow down which store it came from."

"Sounds good. Did you get the files I asked you for?"

Nervously, she pulled a stack of manila folders out of her desk drawer marked confidential. She had worked with Damon before on very delicate town issues, so she knew she could trust him. Still these were the personal files she had on the council members, some of who she had known since grade school. She couldn't help but feel like she was betraying them, but if they were involved in the poisoning of a woman and her child, especially of a founding family whom they vowed to protect, then they needed to be held accountable. She placed the stack on her desk for Damon to take. "Here. This is all I have. Just promise me if you find something that you'll bring it to my attention, so I can deal with it the right way. No going off and exacting justice in your own way ok?"

He picked up one of the files thumbing through it. Using a deadpan tone, he replied, "Come now, I wouldn't _dream _of harming one of our self-righteous council members simply because they tried to kill the woman I love and her baby." He glanced up, giving her a wicked smirk. "Honestly Liz, you must think I'm some kind of monster."

The sheriff rolled her eyes, shaking her head, not at all amused by his statement. "Just promise me Damon."

He tossed the folder on top of the others before scooping them up. "Fine...for now. But I can't promise that later." _I can't say that a tragic accident might not befall them. _He gave her a cocky smile as he turned to walk out the door.

On his way out of the building, he ran into the Original sister herself, Rebekah. She stopped in front of him when she saw him, with the usual pouty annoyed look she gave whenever their paths crossed. "Well, well Blondie, what brings you here? Doing your civic duty?"

Rebekah feigned a smile of amusement at his smartassed quip. "Hardly. Someone broke into my car. I just came here to report it."

"Why not handle it in your usual fashion...torture?"

"Come now, Damon you know I only save that for _special _occasions." She bobbed her head down slightly to the side, batting her eyes up at him in mock flirtation.

He squinted his eyes, giving her a snide smile, recalling the night she chained him in bear traps and bled him dry of vervain. "Ah, it's been fun going down memory lane and all, but gotta go take care of something that actually matters."

She turned to watch after him as he began to walk away. Her eyes lingered on his ass. She always did appreciate the sight of a tight behind. She raised her eyebrows, enjoying the perfectly firm roundness of his ass. Damon had only walked away a few steps, when she called after him. "How are Elena and the baby doing?" He turned to look back at her in surprise. "I heard about the unfortunate accident."

He scoffed, "Come on, like you care. You hate Elena, and me for that matter."

She pursed her lips at him, nodding her agreement. "True, but I have a soft spot for children. It must have been tough watching the woman you love almost die along with your child."

_My child? She couldn't possibly know that. _Underneath he felt a sudden pang of concern, but on the surface, he remained as calm as ever. He had to make sure she didn't know the truth. Callously, he replied, "Yeah, well, it's not my child. My biggest concern was for Elena, and how she would handle it."

She attempted to stifle her amused laugh at his denial, by covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "Oh please, you can pretend not to care all you like, but you're going to have to get used to the idea that it _is_ your child."

His mind raced. _Did she over hear something she shouldn't have?_ The look of confusion on his face was genuine when he said, "Excuse me?"

She rolled her eyes at his ignorance. "Look, if you're going to agree to help raise a child then you have to accept the responsibility of it."

_Ah, that's what she meant._ He finally started to relax his guard.

"I guess being irresponsible isn't all that surprising given your century and half playboy status. My goodness Elena has her work cut out for her."

"Hmm I'd love to stay and chat, but I can think of, oh, a thousand more pleasant things I could be doing, like walking in the sun without my daylight ring." He walked a few steps backwards, as he gave her a mock salute good bye, before turning and walking out the door. He puffed out his cheeks, letting out a breath of relief.


	20. Chapter 20

The last few weeks seemed to fly by for Damon and Elena. Elena had been feverishly cramming for her finals, while Damon had been following leads with Sheriff Forbes to track down the persons responsible for the poisoning. Somewhere in between, they'd also been making plans to marry in secret. It was important to Damon to finalize their union before the baby arrived, so their son would be born with his name. They also knew they were fighting against the clock before all hell broke loose and time was of the essence. The second Klaus found out the truth about their plan, they would be on the run.

Damon was in the kitchen mixing a protein drink and toasting a bagel for Elena to eat before she ran off to school. She had stayed up until 4:00 am studying for her final, and as a result, she had woken up late. He knew she would be in a hurry this morning, but he wanted to make sure she ate before she left. He didn't want her passing out during the test because her blood sugar dropped too low. He heard her footsteps coming before she reached the bottom step. Just as she was about to bypass the adjacent dining room and head out, Damon caught her by surprise. "Not so fast young lady," he called out, as he continued to spread cream cheese on the bagel he'd just toasted. "You haven't had your breakfast yet."

Elena stopped dead in her tracks, looking up at the ceiling, and rolling her eyes in frustration. _I don't have time for this. _She walked through the dining room, stopping to stand in the archway of the kitchen. "Damon, I'm already late. Bonnie had to leave without me. There's no time for breakfast."

Placing the knife in the sink, he turned to address her. "Do you _really _think I'm going to let you leave here alone _and _without eating?" He shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." He gave her a smart-assed smirk. "Nice try."

Annoyed, she plodded into the kitchen and grabbed the bagel off of the plate. Taking a bite from it, she gave Damon an impudent smile. "Happy now?" She turned around sharply to leave, but Damon caught her by the arm, stopping her.

"Not quite." He handed her the protein drink and grabbed his keys off of the counter. "I'm driving you."

"Oh for God sakes Damon, you can't go with me. It's my _final_. One day driving alone isn't going to kill me." Her tone came off harsher than she had intended. She was even surprised with her level of edginess.

"Someone didn't take their cranky pill this morning," he chided. He raised his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm just dropping you off. I'm not staying. Bonnie can bring you home."

Elena's shoulders slumped with regret. She raised her hand to her forehead and shut her eyes momentarily. She felt so discombobulated. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just I'm exhausted and stressed about this final."

"I know. _But,_ this is your last one, and then you can rest all you want until the baby is born."

She frowned. "Not really. We still have the whole council thing to deal with and Klaus breathing down our necks. Not to mention, I haven't finished everything I need to do before the wedding. I mean we leave the day after tomorrow. That doesn't give me a lot of time to run errands and pack."

In a placating voice, Damon replied, "I'll take care of it. Trust me." He made a shooing motion with his hands meant to harass her. "Now hurry up. You're making us late."

Elena scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out in a derisive expression. She turned to head out, but Damon stopped her again.

"Ah, ah, ah." He picked up the protein drink, handing it to Elena.

She took the glass from him, shaking her head, as they headed out the door. There was no getting around him when he had his mind set on something. He was right of course. She needed to be sharp for this test. Plus they'd agreed that she wouldn't go anywhere alone. It wasn't only herself she had to think about these days. Watching out for them was a role Damon took seriously. He always had even when it _was_ just her. Taking care of her was secretly one of the things she loved, though she wouldn't admit that to him. If she did, she was worried he'd see it as a green light to make all of her decisions for her. They were both pretty stubborn, and sometimes she just wanted to do what she wanted to do, even if he thought it was dangerous. For now, she couldn't exactly argue when half of what he was protecting was his.

Once Damon dropped Elena off at school, he headed out to do some of the errands he told her he'd take care of. He picked up his suit from the dry cleaners, and Elena's dress from the shop that had altered it, to accommodate her growing tummy. And as promised, he didn't look inside the bag containing the dress. He stopped by the local Quick Lube for an oil change and to get the air pressure in his tires checked. Next, he hit the grocery store then headed to the Gilbert house. Personally, he thought Jeremy was a big enough boy to fend for himself, but Elena always worried about her brother. She wanted to make sure he didn't run out of anything while she was gone. _Kids today are way too coddled._ Damon shook his head and sighed. He couldn't believe he was actually stocking the fridge for a grown man. But if it made Elena happy, he would do it.

Afterwards, Damon swung by his attorney's office to finalize some very important documents he had drawn up a few weeks ago. Creating a will had been such a foreign thing for him to think about. Since he was an immortal, the thought had never crossed his mind before.

As the eldest son, the responsibility of handling the Salvatore estate would have been passed to him after his father's death. However, Damon and Stefan both had died before Stefan had killed their father. As a result of their untimely deaths, the estate went to their half brother, along with the family name. At the time, their brother was just a toddler, leaving the family fortune in the temporary trust of a distant relative. But once the family learned of the brothers' transition, the relative readily relinquished control of everything to Damon out of fear for his life.

Over the years, Damon had allowed the façade to continue that his brother's heirs were in charge. But behind the scenes, Damon managed everything. He made sure his half brother's descendants and Stefan had what they needed, despite their estrangement. Still, he hadn't been overly concerned about what would happen to the family fortune, should he parish. Everything would automatically go to Stefan. Except now, things were different. He had a son, and soon a wife, to consider. _Wow! That just blows my mind. _The key role his son played, in bringing down the Original family, would put him in constant danger. Damon would give his life to protect him, if necessary. He knew, that despite their rocky relationship over the years, Stefan would never allow Elena and their son to struggle. They were, after all, family no matter what. And he knew Stefan was in love with Elena even if she was no longer in love with him. No, he wouldn't let them struggle. But still, Damon was never one to leave things to chance, hence the will. He felt relieved knowing everything was written in black and white.

His last stop was in the adjacent county, to pick up the marriage license from the local city hall. For legal purposes, they wanted to do things right by getting a license. They hadn't applied for their license in Mystic Falls because they hadn't wanted to risk word of their plans leaking out. When they had applied for the license the week prior, they had difficulty getting the local city clerk to accept Damon's phony birth certificate. Using fake documents never used to be a problem. It had only become more difficult over the last 25 years, after the computer age took off. Fortunately, with the help of some good old fashioned compulsion, he was able to get by the system without raising suspicion.

The wedding was to take place in the lush gardens of an historic plantation house more than an hour away from Mystic Falls. Though the house was now primarily a bed and breakfast, it also hosted a number of private weddings. The gardens were the perfect location because they provided a beautiful, romantic setting, as well as, the privacy they were looking for. After the ceremony, they would celebrate with an intimate dinner then retire to their room for the evening. In the morning, they would head down the coast, stopping for a few days along the beaches of the Carolinas, before working their way down to Savannah. Due to the pregnancy, Damon hadn't been willing to risk Elena flying. In the time they'd known each other, road trips had become their thing. So they thought it was only fitting that their trip should end in the state that had started it all. Besides that, the trip would serve a dual purpose. First, it would a romantic getaway through the historical South. And second, it would give them an opportunity to scope out potential hide outs, should they have to run from Klaus until the baby arrives. This was the part of the trip they told Bonnie and Jeremy about. The rest would have to wait until they returned.

Elena's two and a half hour long examine was finally over. She had no clue how well she had done, but at the moment, she was too exhausted to care. The class had been given a 15 minute break before starting the second portion of the exam. That was hardly enough time for her to feel refreshed after a long night of studying. With each passing month, she felt more worn down. Elena was happy that she had at least managed to complete two whole semesters of college since finding out she was pregnant. But next semester's end was too close to her due date, so she hadn't bothered to register. If she was being honest, she looked forward to the reprieve from getting up early, writing papers, and studying.

Bonnie had finished early and was waiting outside the lecture hall for Elena. "So? How do you think you did?" She picked up her book bag, and they started to head towards the parking lot.

Elena gave her an uncertain, sideways glance. "I have no idea, but probably not very well. There were questions on there that I wasn't prepared for at all." She let out a frustrated moan as she rubbed her forehead. "Oh, I seriously don't want to have to repeat this class again. What about you? How do you think you did?"

Bonnie smiled in satisfaction. "I think I did pretty well. I mean there were a few questions I had no clue how to answer, but overall I think I should pass." She rubbed Elena's arm reassuringly, giving her a sympathetic look. "I'm sure you did better than you think. And if you didn't, there isn't any point in worrying about it because what's done is done. You've got bigger things to worry about."

"Don't I know it? At least with school done, I'll be home more. I won't have to listen to Damon lecture me every morning about making sure I'm with you at all times."

When they reached the car, Bonnie pressed the remote on her key chain twice to unlock the doors. Bonnie was a small girl to begin with, but driving her father's SUV crossover dwarfed her even more. Being a college student, she would've preferred driving a smaller car to save on gas. But her father was concerned about her safety and felt the SUV was a much sturdier vehicle. As they got in the truck, she said, "Well, you can't really blame him, Elena. You almost died, and the person responsible is still out there. Not to mention the ever looming presence of Klaus."

Elena shook her head, conceding. "I know. It's just I'm so tired of always looking over my shoulder, and I still have another 3 months to go. Plus it's only going to get worse after he's born. That's why Damon thought it would be good for us to get away and just relax while we can."

Bonnie cringed every time she thought of Elena's plight, knowing she was the one who put her best friend in this situation. But she had to keep reminding herself that it was necessary. She put the car in drive and pulled away. Glancing back and forth from the road to Elena, she said, "You know how much I hate admitting Damon is right. But getting away from Mystic Falls for awhile, even if it's just for a week, _is_ a good idea. Uh, I'm jealous."

"Yeah, I can't wait to get out of this town, away from Klaus, and whoever else is trying to kill me." She hesitated briefly, knowing what she was about to say would sound overly protective. "Do you think you could do me a favor? Would you check on Jeremy while I'm gone? I know he's not a little kid anymore, but I still worry about him. He's all alone in that house and, if something happens, I won't be here for him to call."

A huge smirk spread across Bonnie's face. Coyly, she replied, "What makes you think he'll be alone?"

Elena smirked, and shook her head. "I don't know what I was thinking."

Bonnie stopped the truck at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. "So have you decided what you plan on doing while you're gone?" As the light turned green, she started to creep into the intersection.

"Nothing specific. We're going to…"

Out of nowhere, a pick-up truck came tearing through the intersection, running the light. The truck smashed into the passenger side door of Bonnie's SUV. The force of the crash spun their vehicle around 90 degrees in the opposite direction, allowing the driver of the truck to take off. The airbags deployed upon impact, slamming hard into the girls' chests. Bonnie's shoulder slammed into her door, and her head snapped to the side sharply, cracking against the window. The collapsing of Elena's door pushed her forward, jamming her knees into the glove box. Her window shattered, showering her face with large shards of glass. A piece of rough metal from the door lacerated Elena's forearm, and embedded itself there.

Both girls were disoriented from the impact. But within minutes, Bonnie snapped back to awareness when she heard Elena scream in pain. Elena's door had been pried away like it was made of Styrofoam. The metal from the door was still partially stuck in her arm. When the door was ripped away, the metal tore the gash open wider. At first, Bonnie wasn't sure what she saw was real. She blinked her eyes to clear away the fuzziness, and was surprised to see Klaus' figure in the doorway. Then she heard his voice, asking Elena if she was OK.

Klaus had squatted down so he was eye level with Elena. He gently shook her shoulder to rouse her attention. "Elena, tell me where it hurts love." Elena didn't verbally respond. Instead her answer came in the form of whimpering moans. She appeared to be in shock. Her hand shakily came up to touch her face. When she pulled it away, it was spotted with blood. Klaus gave her a quick scan to see where she was hurt. Although sirens could be heard in the distance, Klaus decided not to wait. He bit his wrist and was about to feed Elena his blood, when Bonnie stopped him.

Panicked, Bonnie yelled, "No, don't! You don't know what it could do to the baby." Bonnie knew that when Elena had been poisoned, Damon fed her his blood to prevent her from miscarrying. Damon's blood had no adverse effects on the fetus because it was his blood that flowed through the baby's veins. There was no telling what would happen if Elena was fed the blood of an original, who the child just so happened to be created to kill. They had no precedent to draw on to know what would happen. It was a chance they couldn't afford to take.

Klaus stopped and stared at Bonnie. "Non-sense. Over the centuries, I've seen plenty of women with child receive vampire blood without incident. It's the quickest way to heal her. There's no telling what internal injuries she's sustained." His wrist had already healed, so he bit it again.

Bonnie had to think fast. She blurted out, "But none of the others were doppelgangers. We have no idea what it could do to her. Are you really willing to risk damaging your blood supply?" Klaus brought his wrist down from his mouth and gave her a curious look, as though he were considering her argument. The sirens were getting closer. "Please Klaus. The ambulance is on its way. Let them take care of her."

Klaus reluctantly backed away. "She had better survive or I'm holding _you_ responsible." The _'she'_ he was referring to, of course, was the infant.

Bonnie sighed in relief. A sharp pain seared through her head when she nodded her acknowledgement. She touched her head and winced. A huge knot had already formed.

Police sirens could still be heard off in the distance, but the EMS had finally arrived. Noticing the passenger side door took the brunt of the accident, the first EMS worker ran immediately with an emergency kit to Elena's side. Klaus was blocking his way when he arrived. The worker bluntly said, "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to move, so I can attend to the victim." Klaus wordlessly stepped out of the way. But he remained close enough to watch, as the rescue worker began asking Elena questions, assessing her level of alertness. "Ma'am, ma'am. Can you tell me your name?" He took out his pen light and pried her eyes open one at a time, to shine the light on her pupils.

Initially when Klaus had arrived, Elena seemed incoherent. However, the piercing brightness of the pen light flashing in her eyes, helped her regain some alertness. She croaked out, "Elena…Gilbert." Her head bobbed slightly as she tried to remain conscious.

Klaus shot a warning glare towards Bonnie, as the second EMS worker opened her door and began asking Bonnie the same questions. Her eyes scanned from Klaus to Elena, and then back again, before she responded to the EMS worker. "Bonnie Bennett. I hit my head, but I think I'm ok."

Damon had been on his way back from picking up the marriage license, when he got the call from Jeremy saying Elena had been in an accident. Jeremy told him her injuries weren't life threatening, but it hardly made Damon feel any better. Elena being in an accident at all, especially when he was away, struck fear in his heart. He felt like he was reliving the night she went over Wickery Bridge and drown all over again.

When he saw Damon rush through the E.R. door, Jeremy immediately stood up to meet him. "Where the hell have you been man? I called you a half an hour ago."

"I was out of town," he said exasperated, "checking on a lead Liz gave me." Obviously, he was lying, not for his own sake, but because Elena had wanted their plans kept quiet even from Jeremy. Damon's agitation was growing by the second. He snapped out. "How is she? What's going on?"

"I'm not sure yet. They're running some tests. I only got to see her briefly before the doctor pushed me out."

Damon's heart sank. "What you mean? Where's Meredith?"

Jeremy knew Damon would flip when he told him. "It was her day off. So when Elena was brought in, they assigned her to the on-call doctor."

Damon's jaw clenched, gritting his teeth. He glared at Jeremy. Inside he was fuming. He grabbed Jeremy by the shirt, pulling him close to his face. "And you let him treat her? How could you be that stupid?"

Returning Damon's intense glare, Jeremy raised his voice to defend himself against Damon's berating comments. Jeremy struggled, trying to free himself from Damon's grasp. "He was in there before I got here. What was I supposed to do? She was hurt, and they couldn't reach Meredith. I didn't exactly have a choice." Jeremy continued to struggle against Damon's grip on him. "Look, Meredith is in there with her now." Jeremy subtly tilted his head to the side, trying to let Damon know that they weren't alone.

Damon roughly shoved Jeremy away, releasing him from his hold. He looked in Klaus' direction. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Luckily, as fate would have it, I was there when the accident happened. You know you should be thanking me. I was helping to free Elena before EMS even arrived."

"What happened?" Damon's breathing was ragged, as he tried to control his anger and frustration. It was bad enough that Elena had been in harm's way again. But having to deal with Klaus' bullshit on top of it, just made things worse.

"Hit and run driver. You realize this is the second time in less than a month that someone has tried to kill her. You know I don't think you're doing a very good job of keeping her safe."

"Lucky for me I don't really care what you think. It's none of your business," Damon mouthed off. He turned to head towards the triage area, but Klaus stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

Staring him dead in the eyes, Klaus said, "I beg to differ. The doppelganger only exists because of the curse that was placed on me. Her bloodline is the only way to create my hybrids. So you see it is very _much_ my business."

Jeremy looked nervously, back and forth, between the two of them. "Yeah, well while you two are wasting time battling for dominance, I'm going to do something constructive, like check on Elena and Bonnie." They both ignored him and continued to stare intensely at each other. Jeremy shook his head and walked away.

Klaus shot Damon one of his big dimple-filled, mocking smirks. "See, now I bet young Jeremy could do a better job protecting Elena than you're doing. If you don't step up your efforts, I might just have to take matters into my own hands and lock Elena away for safe keeping."

Damon's eyes squinted at Klaus. He was sick to death of his arrogance and oppressive behavior. He couldn't wait until his son was old enough to kill his smug ass. "Elena is not your _property_. You're not taking her anywhere."

Klaus took a menacing step closer. He pressed his fingers against Damon's chest, in an intimidating fashion. "On the contrary, her bloodline has been tied to me long before you were born. Which means that child belongs to me. And I will take what is rightfully mine as I see fit."

Damon's blood was boiling. _The fuck that child belongs to you. _In a painfully controlled voice, he spat out, "Over my dead body."

"Now, I would rather enjoy that. Though I think Elena would be _heartbroken._" Klaus emphasized that last word in his usual taunting tone. He sauntered over to one of the waiting room chairs to pick up his coat. "Speaking of the lovely Elena, do tell her for me that I hope she has a speedy recovery." With that he walked away and exited the hospital.

Damon had been so riled that he hadn't even realized his fists were tightly clenched, until after Klaus walked away. He opened and closed his hands to work out the stiffness. Then he took a deep calming breath before heading towards Elena's room.

When Damon entered the room, all eyes turned to him. Elena was alert and sitting up in bed, but his heart sank at the sight of her. The right side of her face was littered with slashes from where the shattered glass made contact with her skin. And her lower lip was swollen and split. The white of one eye was now blood red from broken capillaries. Her right forearm was wrapped in bandages from her wrist to her elbow. Both knees were black and blue with softball size bruises. An IV was dripping into her arm, and a fetal heart monitor was attached to her abdomen.

Jeremy could see by the look on Damon's face that it was time to excuse himself and give them some privacy. He said to Elena, "I'm going to go check on Bonnie. I'll come by later tonight and see how you're doing." He leaned down and gently kissed Elena on top of her head. "I love you."

Elena looked up at Jeremy and squeezed his hand. "I love you too Jer." Then Jeremy walked past Damon and exited the room.

Damon took Jeremy's place at the bedside, grabbing Elena's hand. He glanced down at Elena, giving her a tentative smile. Then he looked towards Meredith with uncertainty. He asked, "So?"

Meredith gave a big sigh as she filled him in on Elena's condition. "To start with, the baby is fine. Elena has some bruising along her lower abdomen where the seatbelt dug in, but no serious damage. She has a couple of fractured ribs, some cuts and bruises, and a tear between her radius and ulna." She paused, giving Elena a reassuring smile. "Overall it's not as bad as it could have been." She turned her attention back to Damon. "Nothing a little vampire blood can't fix."

The tension in Damon's face noticeably eased. He nodded. "Good."

Meredith continued. "But we have a bigger problem. I managed to track down the ultrasound footage and dispose of it before it was read. And I can alter any notes in Elena's chart about the baby's sex, but you're going to have to compel the ultrasound tech to forget what she saw."

"That's not a problem. What about the doctor that saw Elena when she came in?"

"I already spoke with him," Meredith said. "He did an initial assessment of her injuries, but nothing that would tip him off."

"You're absolutely sure? We can't afford to be wrong," he warned.

Meredith nodded. "I'm positive. I'm going to go now and see if I can track down that tech for you to compel before you take Elena home."

Elena had been quiet the whole time Meredith was giving Damon the rundown. Now that they were alone, she started to cry. The tears stung at the cuts along her cheek as they trailed down her face.

Damon sat on the edge of the bed facing her. He gently placed his thumb and forefinger under her chin, tilting it up to meet his eyes. "It's going to be Ok." He was pissed that any of this happened, but letting her know that wasn't going to change anything. What she needed right now was reassurance. He soothingly stroked her hair. "Just think about our trip. We're going to get away for awhile, just the two of us. It's going to be Ok." He bit into his wrist and placed it up to Elena's mouth. "Now drink. I"ll go take care of the tech, and then I'll take you home."

Damon and Elena spent the next day flitting about the house, finishing up some last minute packing they couldn't get to because of Elena's trauma the night before. She was feeling much better today like the accident never happened. Vampire blood had a way of healing everything except the soul. Damon came downstairs to grab a few books from the library to take with him. As he turned the corner to the room, he heard a knock at the front door. He flung the door open to find Klaus standing there.

"What the hell do you want?"

Klaus gave him one of his maniacal smirks. "Now is that any way to answer a door?" Damon wasn't in the mood to play. "All right then. I just came by to see how Elena was doing. She was pretty banged up yesterday."

"She's fine." Before Damon could shut the door, Elena came trotting down the stairs.

"Who's at the door?"

Damon half turned to answer her. "No one important."

Klaus said, "Now come on mate. I came by to see how she was doing." As she came up behind Damon, he noticed that her wounds were completely healed. "Well, it looks like you're doing much better."

Elena swallowed hard. "I'm fine."

Damon turned back towards Klaus. "See, she's fine."

Klaus gave him a curious glare. "That's funny because yesterday when I tried to give her my blood to heal her, Bonnie told me it wasn't safe. Yet here she is, good as new, no doubt thanks to your blood. Now why would Bonnie tell me such a thing if it wasn't true?"

Damon's eyebrows rose, as he down turned his mouth. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Don't know. I wasn't there. But if you want to be helpful, why don't you track down the driver who hit her?"

"Well now isn't that _your_ job?" Klaus leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms. He could no longer enter the boarding house, without an invitation, ever since the deed had been signed over to Elena.

Flippantly, Damon said, "You're the one who said I wasn't doing a very good job of keeping her safe. So I'm just going to sit back here and keep Elena company, while you do all the work." Damon thoroughly enjoyed baiting Klaus. He could see Klaus' anger rising. He shot him one of his notorious sarcastic grins. "Bye now." Then he slammed the door in Klaus' face.

The next day they headed out of town. It was mid-day when Damon's car pulled up in the driveway of the old plantation house. The wedding wasn't to take place until 5:00 pm, but they had been eager to get out of town before anything happened to prevent them from leaving. Also, they wanted to arrive early to check in and get settled before getting ready for the ceremony.

Around 4:30 pm, Damon had gone downstairs to meet with the officiator and photographer leaving Elena to finish getting ready. She hadn't wanted him to see her until it was time. She was still in the bathroom when Damon came back to the room to get her. He rapped his knuckles lightly on the door. "Elena? They're ready for us."

Elena answered, "Ok, just a minute." She looked herself over in the mirror once more, making sure everything was in place. She wore a thinly strapped white dress made of chiffon with a beaded empire bodice. The dress flowed loosely over her stomach to just above her knees, exposing her beaded sandals. Her hair was partially swept up in curls, with some strands cascading down her back and framing her face. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she felt a strange mixture of elation and sadness. She was happy to be marrying Damon, but at the same time, sad that her parents couldn't be there to witness it. How she wished her father could have given her away. There was also a sense of guilt for keeping all of this from Jeremy. He was the only family she had left, and she had excluded him from one of the most important days of her life. The baby must have sensed her sadness and gave her a gentle kick, pulling her out of her melancholy state. She looked down at her stomach and smiled, giving it a gentle rub. No, Jeremy wasn't her only family. Soon her family would be expanding to include Damon and their son. She took a deep, calming breath and smiled at herself in the mirror. She was ready.

Damon was staring out of the window, when Elena exited the bathroom. He turned around to face her, and his breath suddenly escaped his lungs. He was floored by the sight of her. He'd seen Elena dressed beautifully many times before in formal gowns, but this was entirely different. This time she glowed like an angel. And this time she was his. He stared at her in awe, as an uncontrollable smile spread across his face. "I've never seen you look more beautiful."

Bashfully, Elena smiled then lowered her gaze. She walked over to where Damon stood and began fiddling with the rose on his lapel, straightening it. Then she ran her hand over his chest, smoothing out the wrinkle in his jacket. Glancing up at him, she said, "And you look very dashing yourself." Her eyes ventured down to the bouquet of wild flowers he held in his hands. "Are those for me?"

He had been so enamored by her beauty that he had completely forgotten the flowers he brought for her. He looked down at his hand, suddenly remembering. Stumbling nervously over his words, he said, "Oh, um, yeah." He chuckled at his confusion as he handed her the flowers. "I got them from the garden outside." He held his hands up in mock defense. "I didn't steal them, I swear. They gave them to me."

She raised them to her nose and inhaled their fragrant scent. Her face lit up with a big smile. "They're beautiful."

Damon held his arm out for her. "Shall we?" Elena nodded in agreement, looping her arm through his.

They made their way down the hall, and then descended the staircase, arm and arm. Damon led Elena outside to the gazebo, located in the flower garden. In the background, a violinist played soft music as they approached. It was a warm spring day in Virginia, and the sun was shining bright. The fragrant scent of the freshly bloomed flowers wafted in the breeze. The gazebo was a pristine white with ivy and irises woven through its slats. The landscape behind it was a brilliant array of floral pastel colors that collectively reminded Elena of a rainbow. Internally she quipped. _What no unicorns?_

At the cusp of the steps, Damon removed Elena's left hand from his arm to take in his own. Like the gentleman that he was, he placed his right hand on the small of her back and guided her up the steps ahead of him. With nervous excitement, they stood before the officiator, holding each other's hand.

The officiator was a heavy-set man in his late 60's, with a round jovial face and rosy cheeks. Since they had no designated officiator, the owners of the estate had recommended to them the soft-spoken man with the pleasant southern drawl. He began the ceremony with a warm, inviting smile. "Elena, Damon, on behalf of Ashford Estates, I'd like to congratulate you on the start of your lives together. It is a harsh reality of life that this world can hold such great sorrow. But for those who seek it, it can also hold the greatest joy. Love. However, love can be elusive. Many search their entire lives and never find it. Those who do will face many trials and tribulations meant to test the strength of their resolve and commitment to love. Against all odds, your hearts have managed to find one another. You've been given life's greatest gift. Now it is up to each of you to face these challenges together and decide if love is worth fighting for." The officiator's words affected Damon and Elena deeply. Both knew exactly how hard they had fought to be together, and how hard they would have to fight to protect all that they stood to lose. "As you stand before each other, may you profess what's in your hearts. Elena?"

Elena's heart raced with nervousness, as she gazed into Damon's deep blue eyes. She said, "Damon, you've always been there to protect and support me whenever I needed you. And I want you to know how grateful I am for that. I wouldn't have made it through without you. You've loved me unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. And I want you to know that nothing can ever take away my love for you."

Her words roused deep feelings within him. Never had he thought he would have real love. It was something he'd always felt unworthy of, yet he so desperately craved. The depth of his emotion overwhelmed him. He had to swallow the lump in his throat before he spoke. "Elena, I can't begin to fathom what it was you saw in me, when we first met, that you thought was worth saving. But you believed in it and you made me be a better man because of it. I spent my life waiting for someone I thought was the woman I loved more than life itself. But I know now that it wasn't her that I was waiting for. It was you. I know one day we'll be parted by death, but know that I will love you for all of eternity." He took his mother's ring and slid it on Elena's finger.

Tears welled in her eyes. Yes, one day she would die and so would their son. Damon would be left all alone to carry that burden for eternity. Her heart hurt at the thought of it. The officiator spoke again bringing Elena back from her sadness.

"Elena, Damon are both of you ready to accept each other in marriage?"

Holding hands, they gazed into each other's eyes. In unison, they said, "Yes."

With a pleasing smile on his face, the officiator said, "Then you may seal it with a kiss." Their kiss was deep, and sweet, and filled with the intense emotions of two people, whose passion was so strong it consumed them.

After the ceremony, they had taken pictures and enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the estate grounds. The long walk had tired Elena, so she decided to rest before dinner. Later that night, they had an intimate dinner in the dining room of the old estate, which had been converted into a restaurant. The room was decorated with the elegance of the era, right down to the antique china and silverware that dressed the tables. It was primarily lit by candlelight, and soft, soothing music played in the background, giving it a romantic feel. In front of the fire place, there was a small space left open for dancing.

When they were finished with dinner, Damon stood up and offered Elena his hand. "Care to dance?"

Elena smiled up at him, placing her hand in his. "I'd love to."

It only took them a few steps before they reached the dance floor. Their bodies molded together naturally like two pieces of a puzzle that were meant to fit. Elena rested her forehead against Damon's chin, as they swayed gently to the music. For a while, they got lost in the peaceful euphoria of the moment. Elena whispered in Damon's ear, "Thank you for today." She pulled her head back to look into his eyes. His blue eyes seemingly glowed, as the light of the fire reflected in them. She said, "I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day."

An adoring smile spread across his lips. Sweetly, he said, "You're welcome." Damon pulled her close again, giving her a kiss on top of her head. He rested his chin against her once more and closed his eyes, as they continued to dance. After a time, they retired to their room and made love until they feel asleep in each other's arms.


	21. Chapter 21

Author's note...I apologize for the delay in the next chapter. Due to work obligations, my time has been limited. I'm currently working on the next chapter. I appreciate your patience. :)


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